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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 
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Shelf-lkKS 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



WARMAN'S 

SCHOOL- ROOM FRIEND 



PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS ON 

READING, 

RECITING AND 

IMPERSONA TING. 

(NOT A TREATISE ON ELOCUTION.) 



PROF. E. B. WARMAN, A. M., 

TEACHER OF ORATORY AND PHYSICAL TRAINING, PRESBYTERIAN 
THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, CHICAGO. 

_______ 

(t A Book it valuabh not for the thought it contains \ but 
for that which it suggests" 



f ^ 18 183" 

CHICAGO: 

W. H. Harrison, Jr., Publisher. 
1886. 



3 



j*»* 



COPYRIGHT 1886, 

BY 

W. H. Harrison, Jr. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 
Articles A and THE 89 

Bowing 94 

Conjunctions .89 

Declamatory vs. Natural , , .99 

Dimness of Sight, Secresy, etc ? • -75 

Dropping of the Tone • » • • 77 

Emphasis 1 1 

Exclamations 21 

Explanatory Sentences 82 

Eye Educated , , 71 

Eye to Audience 72 

Eye vs. Ear 74 

Fitting the Garment 78 

Grammatical Period vs. Thought Period 49 

Hesitancy 55 

Impersonation vs. Narration 65 

Individuality 91 

Inflections 23 

Interrogations 20 

Interrogatory Sentences 18 

Links of a Chain 53 

Literalness 60 

Mannerisms 92 



IV CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

Negatives 58 

Parenthetical Sentences 85 

Personal Grief 80 

Poises vs. Pauses 51 

Projection of the Tone 76 

Punctuation vs. Pauses 46 

Quotations 68 

Reading of Poetry 51 

Reading, Reciting, Impersonating 63 

Sacrificing Nature • . • 87 

Soliloquies 69 

Sound vs. Sense ? . • 92 

Stress .« 39 

Subordination 16 

Successive Thoughts 60 

Suspension 58 

Unfamiliar Words 88 

Words that Echo the Sense 81 



PREFACE. 

We present this treatise as the result of 
years of experience and observation ; not 
alone as the public reader upon the ros- 
trum, but in those closer relations of teacher 
and pupil which serve to make these pages 
practical. 

Many years ago in the Boston Univer- 
sity School of Oratory, that great and 
good man, the late Prof. Lewis B. Monroe, 
said to the author : " We do not leave this 
world till our time comes ; but if our work 
is unfinished, the mantle will fall on some 
one else, that he may complete it for us. 
You, my friend, are especially called to 
this branch of work, and you are sure of 
success, for your energy links with it the 
high ideal of the art you represent. I have 
no fear that you will ever pander to the 
tastes of those who fail to discriminate 

between the true and the false. 
(5) 



6 PREFACE. 

This man — whom to know was to love — 
has passed "the bound of life where we lay 
our burdens down/' and he has left "the 
cross" only to gain "the crown." His in- 
fluence still remains, and ever will -remain* 
with his pupils, and more especially with 
those of us who were so favored as to be 
brought more completely within his soul's 
radiation by a nearness of association not 
known in the class-room. To him the author 
is largely indebted for instruction, hints 
and suggestions dropped by the way, which, 
added to our previous and later experience, 
we have endeavored to put in such form 
that " He who runs may read." 

The question is often asked, " To what 
extent shall we carry the matter of expres- 
sion in the school-room ?'- 

General school reading, of all grades, 
requires that heed should be given to the 
distinctive utterance of all the elements; 
to the quality of the voice ; to the erect 
position of the body ; and to the training 
of the eye in looking up from the book. 
Make the scenes live again, at least make 



PREFACE. y 

them suggestive, without striking attitudes 
or resorting to gesticulation — reserve those 
things for oratorical contests and " com- 
mencements." 

Do not, however, go to the other extreme 
and think it is merely necessary to call the 
words; give them life and meaning. Read- 
ing without emotion is what drawing is to 
painting — merely an outline. Get into the 
atmosphere of the selection before you at- 
tempt to breathe it out on those around 
you. This may all be accomplished with- 
out the much-dreaded elocution entering 
the school-room. In short, be natural. 

To the public reader, or speaker, there 
are three essential requisites which he 
should endeavor to possess. 

i. The thought should be under perfect 
control. 

2. The body should be under perfect 
control. 

3. The voice should be under perfect 
control. 

This manual is intended to meet the re- 
quirements of the first essential element. 



8 PREFACE. 

Its mission is to serve as an aid to the stu- 
dent in the analysis of thought, whether 
said student is still within the walls of the 
school or college, or whether he has taken 
upon himself the responsibilities of the 
pulpit, or of the rostrum, or of the stage ; 
for one should never cease to be a student. 

Knowing that the books upon the subject 
of reading which flood the market to-day, 
have only partially dealt with the prin- 
ciples of reading, and of voice, and of 
gesture, and have generally combined them 
in one — frequently with numerous selec- 
tions thrown in — we have concluded to 
devote these pages exclusively to the practi- 
cal principles of reading, with practical appli. 
cations of every rule given. There will, 
therefore, be nothing in this volume, con- 
cerning voice culture, nor gesture, as we 
consider each of these of such value as to 
require such full and special treatment as 
we have given to this subject. 

In view of this fact and this need, we 
have in preparation a manual devoted ex- 
clusively to the voice — how to train it, and 



PREFACE. 9 

how to care for it; also, a manual devoted 
exclusively to gestures and attitudes, and 
to the general bearing of the body, accord- 
ing to the Delsartean theory. These books, 
like the present one, will contain no selec- 
tions, but will be purely practical, enabling 
the reader or speaker to place his voice and 
body under such perfect control that both 
will act in harmony with the spontaneous 
outburst of nature, without causing the 
speaker to think of or make perceptible the 
mechanism necessary to produce the re- 
quired results. This little volume will be 
found to be invaluable as a textbook* for 
the student, for the teacher, and for the 
public reader or speaker. It will not only 
aid in divining the thought, but will be of 
use in clothing it with the proper expres- 
sion. 

THE AUTHOR. 



WAHMAN'S SCHOOL-ROOM FRIEND. 

Reading, to be effective, should be nat- 
ural ; not necessarily natural to the reader, 
but to the thought to be expressed. Read 
as you talk — but on the condition that you 
talk well. It is essential that the reader 
should get into the atmosphere surround- 
ing the author (or suggested by the selec- 
tion) ere he attempts its expressive render- 
ing. There must be z;/zpression before 
there can be ^pression, otherwise the 
reading will be but the calling of words. 
We should not utter words as words, but 
thoughts as thoughts. 

Carefully consider the fundamental prin- 
ciples of expression. The most important 
and consequently the first to which your 
attention is invited is 

EMPHASIS. 

Every sentence contains one or more 
emphatic words. In order to determine 
(«) 



12 warman's school-room friend. 

the same, you must come en rapport with 
the author. A clear perception is essential 
to a good performance. 

How shall we determine the emphatic 
word in a sentence ? 

Rule. — The emphatic word is the 
thought word, i. e., the word containing 
the principal thought. 

When the subject has been introduced, 

the new idea becomes the emphatic word. 

There may be some difference of opinion 

as to this new idea, consequently the rule 

of itself throws no special light upon the 

subject. We will proceed a step farther 

and offer two tests which will serve as true 

guides. 

TEST I. 

The emphatic word in a sentence is 
the one that can least of all be dispensed 
with and retain the thought. 

TEST II. 

The emphatic word — by transposing the 
words in a sentence — can be made the cli- 
macteric word. 

To apply these tests we will quote a few 
lines from " Sale of Old Bachelors." 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 13 

EXAMPLE I. 

" It seemed that a law bad been recently made 
That a tax on old bachelors' pates should be 
laid." 

The italicized words are the new ideas ; 
the thought words ; the words that cannot 
be dispensed with and retain the thought. 
We will make them the climacteric words. 

" It seemed that recently had been made a law 
Tiiat on old bachelors* pates should be laid a tax" 

or, 
" That a tax should be laid on the pates of old 
bachelors" 

Suggestion. — When any paragraph or 
stanza is in dispute, place the same upon a 
blackboard, and underscore those words 
considered emphatic ; also place therewith 
the marks of inflection which were given 
to the words when taken with the context. 
Erase all the other words ; those remaining 
should so completely contain the thought 
that should any one enter the room, he 
would be able — by the words and inflec- 
tions before him — so to comprehend the 
thought as to fill the ellipses with his' own 
language, thus making the stanza or para- 
graph complete. 



H 

Note. — Bear in mind that the stress should 
always be given to the accented syllable of the 
emphatic word. 

We will give another and an excellent 
method. 

Suggestion. — While reading, imagine be- 
fore you one partially deaf, so much so that 
it would necessitate making the new ideas 
or thought words quite salient ; so salient 
that were he to hear none other than the 
emphatic words and their respective inflec- 
tions, he would have no difficulty in grasp- 
ing the entire thought. 

This subject is of such importance that 
we will practically apply this method. 

Suppose some pupil insists upon empha- 
sizing the word " pates," while another 
thinks it should be the word " laid." Now 
call to your aid the deaf person. He hears 
"law," "tax," "pates," or "law," "tax," 
"laid." 

Mark the result. Insomuch as emphasis 
is founded upon contrast, the deaf person 
will naturally seek a contrast to pates ; 
hence it is not surprising to hear him say, 
" Why did they not make a law to put the 
- tax ' on some one's ' feet ?' I wonder upon 
whose ' pates ' it was \ laid ?' " Or on 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. I 5 

the other hand he may say — if " laid M is 
made emphatic — " they were very kind to 
have the ' law ' signify that the ' tax ' must 
be 'laid/ I wonder why they did not 
throw it!" Another application of the 
tests of emphasis may be found in the fol- 
lowing hymn : 

EXAMPLE II. 

" There is a fountain filled with blood, 
Drawn from ImmanueVs veins." 

We have marked the emphatic words ; 
the new ideas; the words that cannot be 
dispensed with and retain the thought. In 
nine-tenths of cases the emphasis in second 
line is placed on the word " veins." The 
blood implies the veins ; the latter ("veiiis ") 
can be wholly dispensed with, without 
detriment to the thought. 

TEST. 

Fountain — blood — Immanuel 

versus 

Fountain — blood — veins. 

The question naturally arises, What is to 
be done with the words that are not wholly 
essential to the expression of the thought ? 



1 6 warman's school-room friend. 

This brings us to the consideration of our 
next important subject. 

SUBORDINATION. 

Rule. — Whatever is subordinate in 
meaning, should be subordinate in pitch. 

EXAMPLE. 

The words following " law," " tax," "bache- 
lors," and the words following "fountain" and 
" Immanuel," should be subordinated. 

The main cause of the lack of good read- 
ing in our public schools is due largely to 
either a lack of knowledge when to subor- 
dinate certain ideas, or the inability so to 
do. We may know what are the subordi- 
nate ideas, yet be unable to vocally control 
them. There is but one way out of this 
difficulty, and in securing that, we shall be 
able to remove one of the greatest stum- 
bling-blocks from the path of our public 
school reading, viz., monotony and conse- 
quent lack of expression. 

Rule. — The emphatic word should be 
taken out of the level of all subordinate 
words, either preceding or succeeding it. 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 1 7 

The tendency is to let the emphatic word 
slip directly off from the level of the pre- 
ceding words. We will take for example, 
one of the lines previously quoted, and dia- 
gram it as it should be given. 

EXAMPLE. 

Drawn from ^ ^e* 

instead of s - 

Drawn from Immanuel's veins. 

The endeavor to emphasize the word 
from the level of the preceding ones will 
bring some unimportant word to the notice 
of the hearer, thus making the wrong word 
emphatic, and thereby wholly destroying 
the sense. By making a slight poise in the 
voice just preceding the accented syllable 
of the emphatic word, it will not be difficult 
to make that word quite salient ; and when 
this is done, the subordinate ideas will read- 
ily drop to their places, and will be dis- 
tinctly heard without detracting from the 
thought word. 

We will give another illustration, which 



will not only serve as a test of emphasis, 
but will make clear all the preceding points, 
besides introducing our next important 
principle, the 

INTERROGATORY SENTENCES. 

Zenobia has been arraigned by her peo- 
ple on the charge of ambition. She ac- 
knowledges the charge, saying : 

" I am charged with pride and ambition. 
The charge is true^ and I glory in its truth." 

The second " truth " is here an old idea, 
and, as such, is subordinated to " glory." 
"And I glory in its truth." 



V 



"And I -% . 



/ 4. 



But we pass to the sentence of which we 
spoke, as including all the preceding rules 
and illustrating the new one (Interroga- 
tion). 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 19 



EXAMPLE. 

" Does it not become a descendant of the 
Ptolemies and of Cleopatra ? " 

Considering the fact that she is known by 
her people to be a descendant of the Ptol- 
emies and of Cleopatra, the thought be- 
comes subordinate to that which is ex- 
pressed in just one word. Let us look at it a 
moment. The question hinges wholly upon 
the fact of such pride and ambition becom- 
ing a descendant of such royal blood. 
Hence that one word, " become " will serve 
as a test — such as may be satisfactorily 
given to all emphatic words — to prove that, 

"1. The thought 
word. 

2. The new idea. 

3. The word that 
cannot be dispensed 
with and retain the 
thought. 

4. The word that 
the deaf man must 
hear. 

5. The word that 
can be made cli- 
macteric. 

6. The word to 
which all others are 
subordinated. 



The emphatic word is - 



20 warman's school-room friend. 

We will diagram it, and thus illustrate 
the fact : 



coaj e 

> e te. 



be w *e a d 
« Does it not Cen da nt 



Thus the word "become" — by being 
closely joined to the preceding thought — 
may be so spoken as to give the whole idea. 
It can be made the climacteric word by 
transposition, which will in no way inter- 
fere with the thought, or with the inflection. 

EXAMPLE. 
A descendant of the Ptolemies and of Cleo- 
patra does it not become? 

What! give it a falling inflection when it, 
can be answered by yes or no? Decid- 
edly so in this case, or in any case where 
the question is not asked for information 
or where the answer is predetermined in 
the mind of the questioner. 

INTERROGATIONS. 

Rule. — If you defer to the will or 
knowledge of others (as in preceding ex- 
ample), give a rising inflection. If you 



READING, RECITTNG, IMPERSONATING. 21 

ASSERT your own will, give a falling in- 
flection. 

By the latter inflection, Zenobia did not 
admit of any doubt in the matter, and by 
her imperativeness did not allow her peo- 
ple to question it a moment, but asserted 
her will with such dignity and grace as to 
have them readily coincide with her. 

This method of handling the interrog- 
atory sentences is of inestimable value : 

i. To the teacher when conducting a 
school. 

2. To the minister when addressing a 
congregation. 

3. To the lawyer when appealing to a 
jury. 

4. To the politician when haranguing 
the masses. 

EXCLAMATIONS. 

Exclamatory sentences, like interrog- 
atives, are governed in their inflections by 
the matter of assertion or deference. 

In addressing the Deity, there should al- 
ways be deference ; in speaking 0/* the Deity, 
there should always be reverence. 



2 2 WARMAN'S SCHOOL-ROOM FRIEND. 

Rule. — In giving utterance to a name or 
thought, if speaking to, give a rising in* 
flection ; if speaking of, give a falling in- 
flection. 

EXAMPLE I. 
"Jesus! lover of my soul!" 

EXAMPLE II. 
"Jesus! the dearest name on earth!" 

EXAMPLE III. 
" I, an itching palm!" 

EXAMPLE IV. 
*• Chastisement!" 

We will next consider the subject of in- 
flections, and present our diagrams and ex- 
planations thereof : 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 23 

INFLECTIONS. 

(a). Opposition of meaning re- 
quires opposition of inflection, 
(b). Weakness vs. Strength, 
(c). Irony — Sarcasm, etc. V A 
(d.) Prospective, (doubt) / 

(e). Retrospective (positive) \ 

(f ). Will deferred. / 

(g) Will asserted. \ ( ? )'(9 

Inflections A ^ Grou P ed - (3 or more 
thoughts) / / \ 

(i). Detached. (3 or more 
thoughts) \ \ \ 

(j). Falling suspensive. V 

(k). Continuity. — ■ 



(1.) Assuming vs. Asserting. 

V A / 

(m.) Interrogations. / \ 
(n). Exclamations. / \ 



24 warman's school-room friend. 

(a). Opposition of Meanirig. 

Opposition of Inflections. 

Rule. — Wherever there is contrasted 
meaning, there should be contrasted inflec- 
tion. 

example. (" Poor Little Jim.") 

" The cottage was a thatched one, the out- 
side, etc. 

But all within that little cot," etc. 

(b). Weakness vs. Strength. 

Rule. — The continuous use of rising in- 
flection is indicative of weakness — either 
mentally or physically — on the part of the 
reader or speaker. Strength, courage, 
firmness, etc., are characterized by the fall- 
ing inflection. 

EXAMPLE. 

A beggar asks for alms. Thus deferring to 
the will or knowledge of the person addressed; 
and it will invariably be with the rising inflec- 
tion. "Give me penny?" But when Shylock 
wants his bond, he asserts his will and manifests 

his strength. I stay here on my bond. 

(c). Irony, Sarcasm, Etc. 

Rule. — : A11 expressions of irony and 
sarcasm are given either with a rising or 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 25 

with a falling circumflex, dependent wholly 
upon the nature of the context. 

EXAMPLE. 

Indeed. Indeed. 

(d. and e). Prospective vs. Retrospective. 

Rule. — In the expression of a thought, 
the fundamental part of which is wrapt in 
doubt, the uncertainty should be expressed 
with a rising inflection; but the positive- 
ness, or certainty, should be expressed by 
the falling inflection. 

example. ("Paul Revere's Ride.") 
" For suddenly all his thoughts are bent 

On a shadowy something far away, 
Where the river widens to meet the bay.— 

A line of black that bends and floats 

On the rising tide, like a bridge of boats. 

The word " something" is emphatic, but 
as he does not know what that "something" 
is, the doubt or prospective situation causes 
a rising inflection. But he does know that 
he sees a line of "black" and that it has 
the appearance of "boats" in consequence 
of which decision or positiveness, it should 



26 warman's school-room friend. 

be read with the falling inflection on these 
words. 

The words " Far away where the river 
widens to meet the bay " — are explanatory, 
and should be treated as such, making 
them wholly subordinate to the rest of the 
thought, not even borrowing color from 
the secrecy of what precedes or succeeds. 

example no. 2. "The face against the pane." 

" Four ancient fishermen, 
In the pleasant autumn air, 
Came toiling up the sands, 

With something in their hands, — 

Two bodies, stark and white." 

The doubt, as in the preceding example, 
is expressed in the word "something" by 
giving it the rising inflection, while the 
positiveness is asserted as soon as it is dis- 
covered what that something is; hence the 
falling inflection is placed on the word 
" bodies.'' 

(f and g). Will Deferred, Will Asserted. 

Rule. — When deferring to the will or 
knowledge of others give the rising inflec- 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 2*J- 

tion ; when asserting your own will, give 
a falling inflection. 

This rule has previously been given 
when dealing with the interrogatives, but 
is used at all times in deciding points of 
deference or will. 

example. ("Ride of Jennie McNeal") 

— Car let on. 

"Madam, please give us a bit to eat?" 

A British officer, and a dozen or more 
dragoons, enter the house ol a lady and 
her daughter, who are living on neutral 
ground. They want something to eat and 
intend to have it ; the officer therefore asks 
for it with a falling inflection. Were he 
to give the rising inflection, he would defer 
to her will, and might be refused. It is 
imperative, commanding, and withal, gen- 
tlemanly. 

(h and i). Grouped vs. Detached. 

Rule. — Consider carefully as to whether 
the author had all the thoughts in his mind 
at time of writing the first one of a series, 
or whether they suggested themselves sep- 
arately. If the former, then they should 
be grouped and so expressed by giving a 



2$ WARMAN^S SCHOOL-ROOM FRIEND. 

rising inflection on all but the last. If the 
thoughts were taken separately then there 
should be a falling inflection given to each. 

In our diagram it will be observed that 
we have placed three inflections opposite 
each of these forms, signifying thereby 
three thoughts or objects. It may be three 
words or three clauses, generally treated 
as a series. Our rule will apply to any 
number. We choose three for sake of 
convenience. 

example. (Tell's address to the Alps). 

" O sacred forms, how proud you look ! 

How high you lift your heads into the sky! 

How huge you are, how mighty, and how free! 

Ye are the things that tower, that shine; whose 
smile 

Makes glad, — whose frown is terrible; whose 
forms, etc." 

As Tell gazed upon the mighty Alps, it 
is beyond controversy, that these thoughts 
oi " proud, high, huge, mighty, free " were 
one by one suggested to him, and from the 
fulness of his heart he ^claimed them, not 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 29 

^claimed them. Insomuch as we deal 
with thought as with tangible objects, by 
the use of the latter (as hereafter sug- 
gested) the rule for thoughts grouped and 
detached may be more forcibly brought 
to the notice of pupils. 

example. (By use of tangible objects). 

Hold up some object — a book, for instance* 
Ask the pupils to tell you what you hold in 
your hand. They will answer with a falling 

inflection — a book. Take up another object — 
a slate. Repeat the question, and they will 

again answer with a falling inflection — a slate. 
Present still another object — a pencil. They 
will answer you a third time — or any number 
of times that the articles are taken separately — 

with a falling inflection — a pencil. This illus- 
trates thoughts when taken separately. Hold 
the objects together in the hand, in the same 
order, and repeat the question. The answer 
will unhesitatingly be given with a rising in- 
flection on the first two and a falling on the last 

/ / \ 

— a book, a slate and a pencil. This illustrates 

thoughts grouped, all being in the mind of the 
speaker or writer at the time the first one of 
the series is expressed. 



30 warman's school-room friend. 

(j). Falling Suspensive. 

This inflection is of the utmost importance 
to the reader or speaker. It is entirely 
distinctive from the intense falling inflection 
(or falling inflection proper). When a 
thought is complete and you desire to im- 
press it upon your hearers, it is best to 
give the intense falling inflection, following 
it with an appropriate pause. But there 
are words and clauses, the effectiveness of 
which would be utterly destroyed were 
you to give the intense falling inflection, 
or would be greatly weakened were you 
to give the rising inflection. 

Rule. — Where it is desired to strongly 
impress by an inflection, yet hold the mind 
of the hearer in readiness for continuous 
thought, while dwelling on other parts of 
the picture that make up its entirety, it 
will be necessary to give the falling- inflec- 
tion sufficient to impress, but suspend it just 
when leaving it in order to impress it, and 
yet sustain the attention. 

example. (" Revolutionary Rising/* 

— T. B. Read. 

"And now before the open door— 
The warrior priest had ordered so — > 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 3 I 

The enlisting trumpet's sudden roar 
Rang through the chapel, o'er and o'er, 
Its long, reverberating blow; 
So loud and clear, it seemed the ear 
Of dusty death must wake and hear. 
And there the startling drum and fife 
Fired the living with fiercer life; 
While overhead, with wild increase, 
Forgetting its ancient toll of peace, 
The great bell swung as ne'er before. 
It seemed as it would never cease; 
And every word its ardor flung 
From off its jubilant iron tongue 
Was, war! war! war!" 

Not an intense falling inflection should 
be given throughout this entire stanza. 
The whole scene is one of continuous 
action. The trumpet continues its blowing ; 
the reverberations continue in the chapel ; 
the drum and fife continue to " stir the 
living with fiercer life;" the bell " as if it 
would never cease/' continues its warlike 
and thrilling vibrations. 

Closely allied to this falling suspensive 
inflection is what may be termed continu- 
ity. Though unlike in the absence of a 
downward slide, it is always continuous. 



32 warman's school-room friend. 

It is generally a rising inflection, though 
sometimes a monotone. 

(k) Continuity. 

Rule. — Continuity is expressed by the 
suggestiveness of the words intended to 
impress the hearer, Hith either continuous 
sound or motion. 

Were the falling inflection to be given, 
especially on the marked words of each of 
the following examples, it would arrest the 
thought in the mind of the listener, thus 
producing a very unsatisfactory result. 

EXAMPLES. 

A light hammer, as in Dickens' " Cheerful 
Locksmith." 

" Tink, tink, tink, clear as a silver bell." 
The waves, as in "The face against the pane." 
" And the breakers on the beach 
Making moan, making moan." 

The wind, as in "Paul Revere's Ride." 

"Seeming to whisper^ — all is well.'' 
The trees, as in "The face against the pane." 
" The willow -tree is blown 
To and fro, to and fro." 
A clock, as in " The old clock on the stairs," 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 33 

" Forever — never ! 
Never — forever ! " 

A belles in " Rising in 1776." 

" And every word its ardor flung 
From off its jubilant iron tongue 

Was: War! War! War!'' 

The inflections have a most marked influ- 
ence upon an audience. 

You may drive the thought home ; you 
may leave it to the decision of others, or 
by the use of this last inflection, the contin- 
uity in the mind of the reader will secure 
the same continuity in the mind of the 
hearer. Though the speaker's voice has 
ceased, the inflection causes the hammer to 
continue its cheerful tinkling; the waves 
their moaning ; the wind its sighing ; the 
willow tree its impressiveness of human 
form and suffering, 

" Till it seems like some old crone 
Standing out there all alone, 

With her woe ! 
Wringing, as she stands, 
Her gaunt and palsied hands." 



34 warman's school-room friend. 

The clock continues its ticking, which is 
ever indicative of 

" Mournf ulness or glee 
Even as our hearts may be." 

The bell continues its ringing, whether 
its sound is that of 

"The mellow wedding bells, 
The loud alarum bells, 
The tolling of the bells," 

or whether it is sending forth its particular 

creed 

" Salvation's free! we tell! we tell!" 

or breathing the notes of " War ! " 

We will cite one more example of con- 
tinuity produced by the reader in speaking 
of the clock, even where it is removed from 
the words the clock seems to utter. 

" It echoes along the vacant hall 
Along the ceiling, along the floor." 

The reader should, by his inflections and 
tones, be able to take the hearer through 
all the old rooms, and breathe upon him 
the joy or sadness, as the case may be, and 
in the use of the inflection of continuity, 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 35 

the ticking of the clock should not cease — 
mentally — during the rendering of any por- 
tion of the poem. In the rendition of the 
above lines, we should distinctly hear it as 
it seems to fill the hall with its vibrations. 
The reader will find that a judicious use — 
fulness and continuity — of the liquids (1 and 
r) and nasals (m, n, and ng) will add greatly 
to the charm of reading. We do not wish 
to be understood as introducing a false elo- 
cution, i. c. playing with the voice, but we 
desire that there should be a natural sug- 
gestiveness that will bring the picture viv- 
idly before your hearers. The general ten- 
dency is to slight these elements. Give to 

EVERY ELEMENT ITS DUE QUANTITY AND 
QUALITY. .NO MORE, NO LESS. 

(m). Interrogations — See page 20. 
(n). Exclamations — See page 2 1 . 

Assuming vs. Asserting. 

Rule. — What has been accepted as a uni- 
versal fact should not be asserted by a fall- 
ing inflection as though it were unknown, 
but given with a circumflex, or, at times, a 
ris.ing inflection, thus assuming that your 
hearers possess the knowledge. 



36 warman's school-room friend. 

example No. i. (" Evening at the Farm.") 

— J. T. Troivbridge. 

" The straw's in the stack, the hay in the mow ;" 

We expect to find just such a condition 
of things on every well regulated farm, 
hence there should be no assertion made by 
giving an intense falling inflection on "stack" 
and "mow," for you should assume that 
your hearers know this to be true. 

example no. 2. ("Ride of Jennie McNeaL") 

— Car let on. 

" Paul Revere was a rider bold; 
Weil has his valorous deeds been told. 
Sheridan's ride was a glorious one; 
Often it has been dwelt upon. 
But why should men do all the deeds 
On which the love of a patriot feeds? 
Hearken to me while I reveal 
The dashing ride of Jennie McNeal." 

Instead of asserting, as is often done by 
public readers, that Paul Revere was a 
rider bold, and that Sheridan's ride was a 
glorious one, you should acknowledge that 
your hearers are cognizant of these facts. 
The falling inflection given to "bold" and 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 37 

'glorious" has the effect of misleading your 
hearers, for it gives them the impression 
that they are to hear more concerning these 
men, whereas neither the men nor the deeds 
are again mentioned. The names "Revere" 
and "Sheridan" are brought in marked con- 
trast with "Jennie McNeal " ; hence the 
reader should give a circumflex on the 
last syllable of " Revere," and the first 
syllable of "Sheridan" — the accented sylla- 
bles — and a suspensive inflection on "bold" 
and "glorious." The author asks in tones 
of sarcasm — always expressed by circum- 
flex— 

"But why should men do all the deeds?" 

He does not intend that we should put 
any stress on deeds, but on men as con- 
trasted with the Jieroine. By assuming the 
knowledge of the audience concerning these 
men, there will be no assertion made till the 
heroine is introduced. 

The foregoing includes all practical rules 
on inflection ; we would, however, advise 
that the ear be sufficiently trained to recog- 
nize the various forms. A few moments 



38 warman's school-room friend. 

daily, in the practice of examples given by 
the teacher, will be found to be very ben- 
eficial. 

Take the Italian A (a) and give a falling 
inflection, each time from a higher pitch — 



^ah 



^ah 
^ah 
all 



^ah 



Take the same from a rising inflection, 
each time from a higher pitch. 



ah 



ah 



ah 



alt 



alt 



Teach the falling circumflex A by be- 
ginning with a rising ah then a falling ah y 
then y<?/;z them A. 

Also teach rising circumflex V by be- 
ginning with a falling ah then a rising 
ah then join them V. 

Following closely upon the work of em- 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 39 

phasis and inflection, the next in considera- 
tion should be that of 

STRESS. 

Emphasis is simply force. Stress is the 
manner of applying that force. You may 
emphasize the right word, but may not em- 
phasize it rightly, i. e., not give it the 
proper stress, which also includes the 
special quality of voice. There are six 
forms of stress, known by the following 
names and characters : 

In Reading. In Music. 

1 Radical (initial), > Explosive. 

2 Median (middle), <> Swell. 

3 Terminal (final), < Crescendo. 

4 Thorough (through), =» Organ tone. 

5 Compound (composed 

of two), x 

6 Intermittent (broken), .... Tremolo. 

Rule (1) The Radical Stress (as the 
sign or character > indicates) is somewhat 
explosive in its nature. It may be used in 
light, or conversational reading, and when 
judiciously done, lends life and sparkle to 
what would otherwise be dull, thus giving 



40 warman's school-room friend. 

clearness and decision to the utterance. It 
is also used in abrupt or startling emotion, 
and in the expression of positive convic- 
tions. 

EXAMPLE I. 

" Give us, O give us the man who sings at 
his work." 

EXAMPLE II. 

Exert your talents and distinguish yourself, 
and don't think of retiring from the world 
until the world will be sorry that you retire. 

EXAMPLE III. 
V V V 

" To arms! to arms! to arms! they cry, 
Grasp the shield and draw the sword; 
Lead us to Phillippi's lord: 
Let us conquer him or die!" 

Great care should be taken in the use of 
this stress, to avoid the tendency to the 
high, light, narrow, contracted tones so 
often used upon the platform when address- 
ing large audiences, thinking it neces- 
sary to raise the pitch of voice, instead 
of increasing the power. The prevailing 
schoolroom tone is a fair sample of the 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 4! 

radical stress misapplied. The voice being 
pitched so high as to make it cold and dis- 
agreeable in its quality, being but a state- 
ment of facts, without any heart element in 
it, and much less vitality. This arises 
largely, from the fact that the schools de- 
velop the mental, at an expense of the 
moral (heart) and vital (bodily) growth. 

Rule.— The Median Stress (as the 
character o indicates) is caused by a swell- 
ing and gradual diminishing of the voice 
on the accented syllable of the word. 

EXAMPLE. 

O, precious hours. 

O, golden prime. 

This stress represents the moral or heart 
element, and should penetrate all others. A 
mere statement of facts being exclusively 
mental is of itself cold and heartless. The 
purely mental deals with the details, but 
the moral and vital never. 

EXAMPLE I. 
" Flower in the crannied wall 
I pluck you out of the crannies; 



42 warman's school-room friend. 

V 

Hold you here, root and all, in my hand 

Little flower — but if I could understand 
What you are, root and all, and all in all, 

I should know what God and man is." 

The tendency in school reading is to give 
the entire emphasis in this stanza by use of 
radical stress. By so doing there is a cold- 
ness pervading it, a lack of the heart ele- 
ment, so that when the word "understand" 
is emphasized, it is done in such a way as to 
lead one to think the reader desires to 
understand through the head, exclusive of 
the heart. Your understanding and knowl- 
edge of God should be through the heart 
as well as the head. By the use of this 
median stress we are brought in more direct 
sympathy with the author and the speaker. 
This stress should be used in all selections 
of an emotional nature. Its use in conver- 
sation shows culture and refinement ; the 
lack of it — the use of thorough stress — is 
very marked, and is a sure indication of a 
lack of refinement. 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 43 

EXAMPLE II. 

" Who was her father ? 
Who was her mother ? 
Had she a sister ? 
Had she a brother? 
Or was there a dearer one 
Stilly and a nearer one 
Yet, than all other?" 1 

Rule.— The Terminal Stress — as 
the character (<) indicates, is abrupt at 
the close of the sound. It is vital in its 
nature. It is well illustrated by the furi- 
ous bark of a dog when preceded by a 
deep growl. It is as opposite to that of 
the mental as is the bark of a large dog to 
that of the little snapping cur. The one 
clearly represents the vital tone — terminal 
stress — by its breadth and the force given 
at the end; the other as clearly represents 
the mental tone — radical stress — by its nar- 
rowness, and the force at the beginning. 

example 1. 

1. "Blaze, with your serried columns, 

I will not bend the knee." 

EXAMPLE II. 

2. "But out upon this half-faced fellowship." 

These three essential forms of stress re- 
quire special attention before illustrating 



44 warman's school-room friend. 

the three that are less used in general read- 
ing. We desire to impress more clearly 
and forcibly the different degrees of pitch 
and quality of voice represented by the 
radical, median and terminal stress. 

These three forms of stress, quality of 
voice, and effect produced by each may be 
well illustrated by a pyramid, thus : 

Stress. 

Radical. 
Median. 
Terminal. 

( The intellectual power is of the mind. 
X The moral power is of the sou/. 
( The vital power is of the body. 

In-so-much as 
( the intellect is cold, \ 
X the heart is warm, \ The reader 

( the passions are fiery. ) 

( first move the passions, 
should •< then touch the heart, 

( and finally interest the mind. 

Rule. — The Thorough Stress of tone, 

as the character ( ) indicates, is fulness 

and steadiness, used in calling or shouting 

Note.— The above diagram is in accordance with the Delsartean 
theory as presented by the late Prof. Lewis B. Monroe. 



Quality of 
Voice. 


Effect upon 
Audience. 


a Mental. 


Disputatious. 


/\ Moral. 


Emotional. 


/ \ Vital. 


Antagonistic, 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 45 

to such a distance, as to necessitate a pro- 
longed or sustained volume of voice. 

EXAMPLE I. 
Boat ahoy! 

EXAMPLE II. 

" Forward, the Light Brigade! 
Charge for the guns! " 

Rule. — The Compound Stress — as the 
character (X) indicates — is composed of 
the radical and terminal stress. It is closely 
allied to the circumflex, and it is used in 
similar expressions. 

EXAMPLE. 
" Hath a dog money ? " 

Rule. — The Intermittent Stress — 

as the character ( ) indicates is a 

broken or tremulous quality of voice. It 
may be used with great effect in the de- 
lineation of character, when representing 
old age, or in the expression of grief. 

EXAMPLE I. 

"Pity the sorrows of a poor old man, 
Whose trembling limbs have borne him to 
your door." 

EXAMPLE II. 

44 Swift to be hurled — - 
Anywhere, anywhere 
Out of the world!" 



46 warman's school-room friend. 
PUNCTUATION vs. PAUSES. 

Points in writing and pauses in speaking, 
are often at variano. . 

Points belong to the grammatical con- 
struction, pauses to the delivery. 

" Every selection, prose or poetry, has 
two sets of punctuation marks ; one visible, 
the other invisible ; one made by the printer, 
the other by the reader." Those made by 
the reader are called pauses of thought, and 
should occur wherever the thought de- 
mands a pause. There can no rule be given 
as to the length of the pause, as it may not 
be twice alike by the same reader, so com- 
pletely does it depend upon the occasion, 
the surroundings, and the spirit of the 
reader, when giving expression to the 
thought. 

Rule. — The Rhetorical Pause "is 
made either before or after the utterance 
of any important thought ; if made before, it 
awakens curiosity and excites expectation 
as to what follows ; if it is made after, it 
carries the mind back to what has already 
been said." 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 47 

example. — (Sheridan's Ride.) 

" And the wave of retreat checked its course 

there because 
The sight of the ?nac*er compelled it to pause." 

To read it as punctuated — not a pause 
till end of second line — would require more 
care in regard to the breath than to the 
sense, for the latter would be wholly ob- 
scured. The emphasis should be on the 
words "wave of retreat" — as a phrase word 
—and on "checked," making the first rhe- 
torical pause at that word (checked), thus 
carrying the mind back to what has been 
said ; this part of the picture is complete 
in itself, and should be expressed with the . 
falling suspensive inflection. The next rhe- 
torical pause should be given after the 
word "because" has been expressed by a 
strong terminal stress ; here one is held in 
expectation of that which is to follow. 

Place a rhetorical pause after "master" — 
carrying the mind more directly to the hero; 
follow this closely with a full median stress 
on "compelled," expressing it in such a 
manner as to show the strong compulsion. 



48 warman's school-room friend. 

It will be found that the words italicized, 
with the proper stress and pause on each, 
will tell the entire story. Let it be borne 
in mind that a rhetorical pause will have 
but little weight unless the pause be filled 
with thought. It is only by this continuity 
of thought on the part of the reader, that 
he can control the thought in the mind of 
the hearer. 

Punctuation is essential to the grasping 
of the thought of the author, nothing more. 

By the punctuation you as students, per- 
ceive; by the pauses you, as readers, interpret. 

EXAMPLE I. 
Woman without her man is a brute. 

EXAMPLE II. 
Let the toast be dear woman. 

We need the punctuation in the above, 
to guide us as to its interpretation. 

They might be read as though punctu- 
ated thus — 

1. "Woman without her man, is a brute." 

2. "Let the toast be^ dear woman! " 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 49 

but they should be read as follows : 

1. Woman! without her, man is a brute. 

2. Let the toast be — Dear woman! 

"The influence of our system of gram- 
matical punctuation, as ordinarily taught, 
is a corruption of natural delivery." 

The old method of counting so many at 
a comma, so many at a colon, etc., was no 
more apt to destroy the sense of the read- 
ing, than is the yet prevailing method of 
causing the voice to always fall at a period, 
or to always rise at a comma. This will be 
clearly illustrated by what we term — 

Grammatical Period vs. Period of Thought. 

Rule. — When the end of the climax in 
thought is reached — no matter in what part 
of a sentence — the period should be placed 
there in the delivery of that thought. 

example 1. 

1. "I'm nearer my home to-day 
Than ever I've been before." 

The words marked are the emphatic ones. 
One of the three words will receive the 
strongest emphasis — it should be on the 
word "home" — but the last word ("before") 



50 WARMAN S SCHOOL-ROOM FRIEND. 

being wholly superfluous to the thought, 
should receive no stress whatever, and the 
period in thought will occur directly fol- 
lowing the strongest emphatic word. The 
word "been" includes "before," as you 
could not have "been" unless it was "be- 
fore." Transpose the sentence, and it will 
be found that the inflection and emphasis is 
in no way changed. 

I'm nearer to-day than ever 
I've been before to my home. 

Thus it will be seen that where you make 
your emphatic pause you should make your 
decided inflection, irrespective of the gram- 
matical pause. 

EXAMPLE II. 

"The affrighted air with a shudder bore, 
Like a herald in haste to the chieftain's door." 

The tendency is to pause at the word 
"bore" because there is a comma there ; 
this would utterly destroy the sense. The 
words "with a shudder" are parenthetical. 
The word "bore" should be closely con- 
nected with what follows. Farther along 
in the same selection we have 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 51 

EXAMPLE III. 

"And louder yet into Winchester rolled 
The roar of that red sea uncontrolled." 

Again we have a parenthetical sentence 
—into Winchester. There is a comma at 
uncontrolled, yet it is right at this point 
where the period of thought occurs. Un- 
controlled should have full force on the 
three syllables, accumulative to the last, 
and an intense falling inflection on the 
last, as this word is the very keynote of 
the poem. There was a battle raging, and 
as the master was away, it was uncontrolled, 
and this is the thought that should be irn- 
pressed by proper <?;rpression. 

This brings us to the consideration of the 

READING OF POETRY. 

The most essential principle to be consid- 
ered in this respect is that of 

Poises vs. Pauses. 

Rule. — In the reading of poetry as in 
prose, pause only where the sense demands 
it. Instead of pausing at the end of a line, 
only make a delicate poise, which is caused 
by slightly swelling the word, making a 



52 warman's school-room friend. 

pivot of it, on which you turn to the next 
line. This will enable you to preserve the 
rhythm without destroying the sense. 

example I. ("An Order for a Picture.") 

"Alway and alway, night and morn, 

Woods upon woods, with fields of corn 

Lying between them — not quite sere, 

And not in the full, thick, leafy bloom, 

When the wind can hardly find breathing room 

Under its tassels." 

There should be no pause, but a poise on 
the words " corn, room." By this mode 
of reading we will not mar the beauty nor 
the smoothness. 

In the reading of the beautiful hymn, " I 
love to tell the story," the following lines 
should be read without a pause, but with 
one continuous stream of voice, nicely 
modulated in accordance with the thought. 

EXAMPLE II. 

" More wonderful it seems 
Than all the golden fancies 
Of all our golden dreams." 

In order to impress the reading of poetry 
according to the sense instead of pausing 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 53 

at the end of every line, we cite the fol- 
lowing : 

EXAMPLE III. 

3. " Every lady in the land 

Has twenty nails on each hand 
Five and twenty on hands and feet 
This is true and no deceit." 

Pause at the end of the second line, and 
the statement is not true. Poise at the end 
of first and second lines and pause where 
the marks are drawn in the following" repe. 
tition, and then the statement is true. 

" Every lady in the land 
Has twenty nails | on each hand 
Five I and twenty on hands and feet | 
This is true, and no deceit." 

In the reading of prose or poetry, so long 
as the sense does not require a pause, let 
the words or syllables represent 

THE LINKS OF A CHAIN. 

Rule. — Keep the chain unbroken unless 
the breaking thereof is demanded by the 
sense, or will add impressiveness to the 
thought. The emphatic word represents 
the large link. The whole movement should 
be gliding and graceful, the words being 



54 WARM AN' S SCHOOL-ROOM FRIEND. 

poured, as it were, in a continuous stream. 
There should, however, be modulation in 
the tones, for at times we want the clear 
ripple of the mountain brook, and again as 
" rolls the Oregon." 

example I. (Very Light). 

"Alway in the old romances that dear Archie 
read to me." 

example II. (Very Full and Sustained). 

" Hear me ye walls that echo'd to the tread 
of either Brutus." 

The foregoing examples offer a fine con- 
trast in the tones of the voice ; the former 
is sweet, pure, bright, and flexible, repre- 
senting the links of a silver chain ; while 
the latter is firm, strong, enduring and 
unyielding, characterized by a steadiness 
representing a heavy, iron chain. Both 
are in compliance with the rule, though 
the latter is an example of sustained force. 
To aid one in accomplishing this object we 
offer three very valuable suggestions, work- 
ing, as they do, conjointly. 

Rule — a. Aim all the tone forward. 

b. Keep the lips moving. 

c. Cause the words to blend. 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 55 

There is too much reading and speaking 
back in the throat, scarcely opening the 
mouth, having too little movement of the 
lower jaw. This causes the throat to con- 
tract and become tired, causing hoarseness 
and weariness, whereas, if the effort were 
brought to the lips, the throat would soon 
expand in proportion to the volume of 
voice required. 

Before closing the subject of pauses, 
poises, continuous stream of voice, etc., 
we will call attention to what may be 
termed hesitancy. It is a distinctive feat- 
ure from any of the foregoing headings, 
yet may be classed as a pause. 

THERE IS AN ART IN HESITANCY 

if done at the right time, and at the right 

place. 

Rule. — Hesitate in the giving of spe- 
cial epochs in history ; also in little inci- 
dents thrown in by the author, which same 
should be so deftly handled by the narrator 
as to cause an audience to think them im- 
promptu. 

EXAMPLE I. 

"Listen, my children, and you shall hear 
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, 
On the eighteenth of April in seventy-five." 



56 warman's school-room friend. 

Hesitate slightly after the word " on " — 
dwelling on the sound of n — as though 
trying to recall the day of the month. 
Hesitate again after the word "April/* in 
the effort to recall the year. In like man- 
ner prolong the n in the word " in " just 
before the word "seventy-five. " 

In this way it will destroy the usual ten- 
dency (in such selections) to declaim the 
thoughts, or simply calling the words with- 
out giving them any expression. 

Selections of this character — in fact, all 
selections — should be read, not as though 
they were committed, but as if the thoughts 
were born at the moment of giving them 
utterance. 

example 11. ("The Emigrant's Story," 

— Trowbridge . 

"After making our beds — that is just spreading 

our blankets 
On the dry ground — we stood, the mother and 

I, for a long while 
Hand in hand, that night, and looked at our six 

little shavers, 
All asleep in their nests either in or under the 

wagon — " 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 57 

A slight hesitancy after the words "that 
is," will add much to the naturalness of the 
expression ; also from the same selection 
we have another 

EXAMPLE III. 

" Just then I 

saw something white gleam, 
Rushed for it, tore through the brush; and 

there, Sir, if you'll believe me, 
In a rough pen of trees, slung about in the 

carelessest fashion, 
Safe in the midst of 'em, only the tongue smashed 

up and the canvas 
Damaged a trifle — Excuse me, I never could 

get through the story, 
Just along here, without being a little mite 

womanish! — " 

Hesitancy should precede and succeed 
the words "excuse me ;" also precede the 
word "womanish." 

The audience or hearer should be actu- 
ally puzzled as to whether the words after 
the dash belong to the author or to the 
narrator. 

By complying with this rule of hesitancy 
you will very forcibly show that which is 
akin to 



58 warman's school-room friend. 

SUSPENSION. 

Rule. — When the minds of an audience 
can be held in suspense, either by the voice 
or by the manner — if appropriately applied 
— it will be found to have great and desir- 
able effect. 

example 1. (" Ride of Jennie McNeal.") 

— Carleton. 

"One night when the sun had crept to bed 
And rain clouds lingered overhead, 
And sent their surly drops as proof 
To drum a tune on the cottage roof, 
Close after a knock at the outer door, 
There entered a dozen dragoons, or more." 

A certain secrecy and fear should perme- 
ate this entire stanza, until the curiosity of 
the audience is at its climax, then halt 
after the word "entered," thus holding them 
a short time in suspense. 

NEGATIVES. 

There is a very prevalent fault common 
among readers and speakers to emphasize 
all negatives — no, none, not, never, etc. 

Negative sentences are the same as affirm- 
ative ones so far as emphasis is concerned. 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. ^9 

Rule. — Do not emphasize a negative 
element unless it is intended as a direct 
negation, expressed or implied ; or is re- 
iterated with a special view to emphasis. 

EXAMPLE I. 
"Lead us not into temptation." 

By placing the emphasis on the word 
"not," implies that He intended to lead us 
into temptation. 

EXAMPLE II. 

— "While overhead, with wild increase, 
Forgetting its ancient toll of peace, 
The great bell swung as ne'er before — 
It seemed as it woujd never cease;" 

The emphatic word in last line is "cease;" 
the word "never" is not a direct negation. 

EXAMPLE III. 

"I never would lay down my arms — never^ 
never, NEVER!" 

In this case the negative element— the 
word "never" — is reiterated for special 
force, and should receive emphasis with each 
utterance. It is often a question as to the 
manner one should deal with emphatic 
words directly following each other. We 
will consider them as 



60 warman's school-room friend. 

TWO OR MORE SUCCESSIVE 
THOUGHTS. 

Rule. — Do not emphasize two or more 
successive thoughts on the same level. If 
there are three or more, the third may be 
placed on same level with the first, but un- 
der no circumstances should it be on the 
same as the preceding one. 

EXAMPLE I. 

"JVever, ncvei\ never" 

EXAMPLE II. 

"To arms, to arms, to arins? they cry. 

EXAMPLE III. 

"Arm/ Ar?n! it is — it is — the cannon's open- 
ing roar." 

Closely associated with this idea of neg- 
ative elements we have what may be des- 
ignated as 

LITERALNESS. 

Rule. — Avoid calling such special atten- 
tion to words as will cause the mind to be 
centered on the purely literal translation. 

Bear in mind that it is only the mental 
tone or radical stress that deals with the 
details. 

EXAMPLE I. 
"So they fell on their hasty supper with zeal." 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 6l 

By placing any stress upon the word 
"fell," would invite attention to it and make 
it appear that they literally fell on their 
supper. 

EXAMPLE II. 
"A brave woman strained her eyes." 
Avoid the radical stress on the word 
"strained," lest you destroy the beauty of 
the picture, as this brave woman stood on 
the coast of Wales watching a storm^tossed 
vessel. There was no literal straining of 
the eyes. 

EXAMPLE III. 

"Soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake 
again." 

To strike this word "soft" in the radical 
stress and invite special attention to the 
word, would make the eyes soft to the 
touch ; putty eyes. The whole line is ex- 
pressed by the moral tone and median 
stress. 

This tendency of literalness also manifests 
itself in dealing with number. 

EXAMPLE IV. 
"A thousand hearts beat happily." 



62 warman's school-room friend. 
Not just a thousand, but a great many. 

EXAMPLE V. 

"A hundred hands flung up reply, 
A hundred voices answered I." 

There may have been more or less than 
a hundred. It is the general thought that 
should be expressed. Nor did the hands 
literally fling up reply; nor should the reader 
try to express a hundred or more voices 
when giving expression to their answer "I." 
It is the spirit, not the reality, that is 
required. 

EXAMPLE VI. 

"Hurrah, hurrah for Sheridan! 
Hurrah, hurrah for horse and man!" 

How often we hear the words "Hurrah, 
hurrah" given as though they were shouted 
by a myriad of voices. "He dashed down 
the line mid a storm of huzzahs" is the 
time to express the situation of the moment, 
but the "Hurrah" is an after consideration, 
and entirely out of the strong spirited scene 
in which the narrator has been a partici- 
pator. These are the grand results and 
should in no way borrow of the declaim- 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 63 

tory and heroic narration, but should be 
expressed as the soulful feeling of the au- 
thor. If you insist upon shouting "Hurrah," 
shout the whole stanza and be consistent. 
There should be a distinction made in 
the various forms of expression known as 

READING— RECITING— IMPER- 
SONATING. 

In the ordinary school reading we do not 
generally go beyond what is known as 
reading, unless it be on days set apart dur- 
ing the year, such as ''Poet's Day" or the 
well-known "Commencement." 

On such occasions the same rule holds 

good as the one which we give to him who 

stands at 

The Reading Desk. 

Rule. — Readings are selections — didactic 
in their nature — that do not require gestic- 
ulation, and should not be given without 
the book either held in the hand or lying 
on the desk. 

EXAMPLE I. 

The poem entitled 

"Little Jim," by Edward Farmer. 



64 warman's school-room friend. 

The poem entitled 

"Sandolphon," by Longfellow, 

and all selections of a like nature. 

The picture in these and similar selec- 
tions is brought more vividly to the mind 
of the hearer, when the speaker does naught 
that will attract to kim 9 and thus attract 
from the thought. 

By observing this caution in the more 
quiet selections, the dramatic ones will be 
the greater by the contrast. 

Rule. — Recitations partake more of the 
declamatory style and require gestures of 
description and often strong, heroic atti- 
tudes. 

EXAMPLE I. 
The poem entitled "Sheridan's Ride," 

EXAMPLE II. 
The poem entitled "Barbara Freitchie." 

Rule. — Impersonates are the more dra- 
matic representations, requiring much care 
and study in voice, gestures and attitudes. 

We refer now to that class of selections 
containing more of the narrative style. All 
of Shakespeare should be impersonated. 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 65 

The reader represents the character or char- 
acters throughout. 

EXAMPLES. 

1. Hamlet's Soliloquies. 

2. Macbeth's Soliloquies. 

3. Letter Scene— Macbeth. 

4. Sleep-walking Scene — Macbeth. 

5. Cassius' Speech on Honor. 

Also 6. "One Day Solitary" — Trowbridge. 

7. "The Old Major"— Bret Harte. 

8. TelPs Address to the Alps. 

This subject brings us directly to one of 
the most important points of distinction in 
the subject of teaching reading and recita- 
tion. 

IMPERSONATION vs. NARRATION. 

A prevalent fault exists (not only in the 
schoolroom, but upon the platform) in 
which the reader gets the impersonator and 
the narrator mixed. There are very few 
professional readers who are exempt from 
this fault ; then it is not strange that we find 
it in the schoolroom. 

Rule. — In all reading (not excepting 
Bible reading) composed of narration and 



68 warman's school-room friend. 

Rode the six hundred. 
"Forward the Light Brigade! 
Charge for the guns!" he said. 

The words "Half a league" are spoken 
by the narrator, not the commander, hence 
should not be given as a command, but in 
aspiration ; the narrator is looking upon the 
scene after the battle. It is given in the 
past tense ; the narrator does not say rides 
the six hundred, but rode the six hundred. 
The foregoing examples suffice to show 
that much care must be exercised in the 
distinctive portrayal of character. 

Touching upon this subject we will make 

a suggestion concerning 

QUOTATIONS. 

Rule. — In all selections combining nar- 
ration and impersonation, the narrator 
should make a distinct pause previous to 
and immediately following the quotations. 

Examples may be found by referring to 
numbers 4, 5 and 6, just cited. 

This pausing, to which we refer, gives 
ample time to the narrator and audience to 
get into the atmosphere of the impersona- 
tion. 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 69 

The words — "she said" and "he said"— 
(examples 4 and 6) should be so subordi- 
nated to the quotations, and still so sepa- 
rated from them that they would drop into 
utter silence, were they not necessary to 
the rhythmical order ar d poetical measure. 

Speaking of action misapplied brings us 
to the consideration of 

SOLILOQUIES. 

A soliloquy is the musing of the heart, 
but it is spoken aloud as a dramatic ne- 
cessity. 

Rule. — A soliloquy should never be 
spoken to but for an audience. The tone 
of voice depends upon the relation of the 
individual impersonated, to the scenes and 
circumstances that were at the time sur- 
rounding him. Gestures should be spar- 
ingly used, and with the utmost discrimi- 
nation. 

The eye should never rest upon, nor even 
glance toward the audience ; yet should 
generally be kept in such a position as to be 
seen by them ; for the eye is the pivot of all 
expression. 



70 WARMANS SCHOOL-ROOM FRIEND. 

EXAMPLE I. 

Hamlet's soliloquy "To be or not to be," is 
not characterized by that secrecy and general 
feeling which pervades Macbeth's soliloquy: 
" If it were done." The former is in contem- 
plation of ^//^destruction; the latter contem- 
plates the destruction of another. 

The famous dagger scene of Macbeth takes 
on a still different tone from either of the 
preceding ones, as the increase of fear, 
added to mental conflict, causes greater as- 
piration of the voice. 

The beautiful soliloquy "Rock me to sleep, 
mother" furnishes us an illustration of a 
more quiet and meditative style, and re- 
quires a tone especially suited to the " sick 
soul and the world-weary brain/' We 
have also, the grand and impressive poem 
from the pen of Mr. J. T. Trowbridge : 

"One Day Solitary" 

This is the soliloquy of a young man in 
prison. He goes to his cell apparently un- 
concerned as he talks to the turnkey, but 
his soliloquy is unlike almost any other in 
the language. There are mental and moral 



1 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 7 I 

and vital conflicts which bring in play a 
great variety of tones. His eye, like his 
mind, wanders ever and anon to the far- 
away scenes of his home and his childhood, 
and thereby causes the introspective view 
of the eye. 

The eye is not only essential as regards 
a soliloquy, but it forms an important part 
in general reading. 

We will place this subject in three divi- 
sions, following each with the respective 
suggestions. 

(a). Eye educated. 

(b). Eye to the audience. 

(c). Eye vs. ear. 

The Eye Educated. 

(a). The eye should be so educated in 
reading, that it will go ahead of the words 
being expressed, in order to anticipate the 
thought with its corresponding emphasis 
and inflection. 

Reading may be likened to going up and 
down stairs. 

You will be sure to stumble, or at least 
to halt, if you place your eye upon the 



72 warman's school-room friend. 

step at the same time you place your foot 
there. You should not have your eye 
upon the word you are uttering, but train 
it to look ahead. 

Suggestion. — Open a book and close it 
quickly and see how much the eye can 
catch at a glance. Daniel Webster used to 
discipline the mind as well as the eye, by 
placing a book on a large table, walk 
around it, and as he passed the book he 
would — without stopping — " take in," by a 
single glance, enough thought to repeat till 
he again reached the book, and continuing 
his walk, he would continue his talk unin- 
terruptedly. 

Eye to Audience. 

(b). By following the previous sugges- 
tion, you will be enabled to glance up from 
the book or MS. and thereby produce a 
much greater effect upon your hearers. 
You can so train the eye, that in opening a 
book to a selection with which you are 
wholly unfamiliar, you will be able — not to 
glance — but to look steadily at the audi- 
ence during the delivery of, at least, one- 
half the thought. Suppose you, as a hearer, 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 73 

are unfortunate enough to sit where a 
stove-pipe, or pillar, or a tall person, ob- 
structs your view of the speaker, why do 
you move your head to see the speaker ? 
You can hear him and you can discern by 
his tone of voice if he is in earnest. You 
watch him awhile, but if he does not lift 
the eye and occasionally look steadily at 
the audience, you will soon lose your in- 
terest, and the aforesaid obstruction is no 
longer objectionable. 

The youngest child in school, by the appli- 
cation of this suggestion, will change the 
ordinary monotonous, meaningless, stereo- 
typed schoolroom, reading-tone, into a 
pleasant conversational one. We speak 
from years of experience, followed by con- 
tinuous practical application. This tendency 
to read down in the book, has a tendency to 
make one read and speak down in the throat. 

Suggestion. — Imagine you are standing 
before a school, or an audience, with a box 
of presents to be given to them individ- 
ually. You naturally look into the box for 
the presents, but you do not think of hand- 
ing them out with downcast eyes. You 



74 warman's school-room friend. 

will, instead, if you have any heart in the 
matter, not only look at the person to 
whom you hand the present, but your 
countenance will change as you hand out 
each article. Your book, or MS. is the 
box. Your thoughts are your presents. 
Insomuch as your eye reaches down to 
obtain the thought, it should look up and 
at the person addressed, as your voice — 
like your hand — conveys the thought, and 
your expression should vary with the 
varied thoughts. 

Eye vs. Ear. 

(c). The eye and ear bear a close rela- 
tion to each other. The eye should not 
follow in the direction of the object to 
which you are listening. It will not only 
make indistinct the picture which you wish 
to present, but will change the color as 
you change the tone of voice. This color- 
ing in reading has reference to the differ- 
ent phases of emotional expression in the 
voice. You should use an artist's preci- 
sion in the laying on of tints, and in the 
grouping of objects. When you are listen- 
ing, the attitude of the body has a corres- 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 75 

ponding mental attitude, and the voice 
will be lower and more in sympathy with 
the subject. 

example. ("The face against the pane.") 

"The heavens are veined with fire! 
And the thunder, how it rolls!" 

The prevailing tendency is to cause these 
thoughts to be expressed on the same level, 
thereby making no difference between the 
seeing and the hearing. The public reader 
generally looks in the direction of the thun- 
der as he does in the direction of the light- 
ning. In so doing he is hearing with his 
eyes. Turn the eye and head from the 
sound, as if you were listening to it instead 
of seeing it ; and without any effort on your 
part, your voice will naturally drop to a 
lower key, and be more in sympathy with 
the subject. Things unseen should not be 
expressed with so clear a voice as things 

seen 

DIMNESS OF SIGHT. 

Rule. — Dimness of sight requires a cor- 
responding dimness of voice. In cases of 
doubt, secrecy, fear, moral impurity, dark- 
ness, death, etc., the tone of voice, while 



76 warman's school-room friend. 

wholly governed by succeeding and pre- 
ceding thoughts, should be generally lack- 
ing in the purer qualities, dropping more 
toward the lower and aspirated tones. 

EXAMPLE. 

"One night, when the sun had crept to bed, 
And rain clouds lingered overhead, 
And sent their surly drops as proof 
To drum a tune on the cottage roof, 
Close after a knock at the outer door, 
There entered a dozen dragoons, or more." 

The conflict of doubt, fear, secrecy, etc., 
should continue through the word "en- 
tered," then by use of rhetorical pause, 
keeping the hearer in suspense, you will 
come out of the tone of secrecy and doubt 
into a tone of positiveness and clearness, 
and you will emphasize the word "drag- 
oons" with an intense falling inflection. 

PROJECTION OF THE TONE. 

Rule. — Aim the tone at some distant 
point, and during each complete thought 
keep it there. 

It will be found that the high tones being 
more penetrating, require less push than 
the lower ones. 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 77 

Talk to those farthest from you, not 
shout, and thus avoid making it unpleasant 
for those who are near you. 

You will find that it is the low notes that 
require the push. Every tone of voice 
should be directed against the hard palate, 
and allowed to reverberate or reflect to 
the pharynx, but should not begin in the 
pharynx. By observing this precaution, 
much of the hoarseness and weariness may 
be prevented, as the throat will ex- 
pand instead of contract. Care should be 
taken not to send a part of the tones to a 
distance, and allow the others to fall at 
your feet. This is what we term 

DROPPING OF THE TONE. 

RULE. — Let there be direct waves of the 
voice, not spattering. 

Readers and speakers make it very tire- 
some for those who are listening when the 
effort is such as to require straining the 
ear. Cause your hearers to be restful in- 
stead of restless. 

You should deal with thought as you 
deal with tangible objects. 



78 warman's school-room friend. 

Suggestion. — A teacher or reader may- 
test this by standing at the desk, or upon 
a platform, and say, here are some circu- 
lars that I would like you to take home 
with you. Instead of handing them to the 
individuals as they are seated before you, 
throw them. 

Some w r ill reach those who are sitting 
in the front rows ; the balance will fall 
short of their destination. By your man- 
ner of distribution you have intimated that 
if they want them, they can come and pick 
them up. So it is with your thoughts. 
Your voice should convey your thoughts 
to every one in the room, and in such a 
pleasant manner, if appropriate, as to in- 
duce the hearers to accept them. The 
quality of your voice is just as essential as 
the quantity. 

The audience should not only be able 
to hear and understand, but by the quality 
of your voice, be induced to listen. 

In all reading or reciting, whether in 
the school-room or upon the platform. 

Make the Garment to Fit. 

Rule. — Have your tone proportionate 
to the object to be described, and the sen- 
timent to be expressed. Do not represent 
small, insignificant things with a full, deep 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 79 

tone, nor present grand objects or ideas, 
with narrow tones. 

A large garment on a small person, or 
vice versa, would be no more liable to 
attract attention and even ridicule, than 
would the use of a large tone to describe a 
small object, or a small tone to describe a 
large object, i. e., too much elocution. 

EXAMPLE. 

u Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean ! roll ! 
Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain." 

The reader should have some idea of the 
grandeur of the objects, and should express 
the thoughts by a full orotund tone. 

He should not merely call the words and 
give utterance to them as though he were 
describing a duck pond filled with the 
miniature boats of children. To bring this 
more vividly to the mind of the reader, 
whether in the schoolroom, or at the read- 
ing desk, we will give the following 

Illustration, 

Take a marble in your fingers and shoot 
it across the floor, exclaiming in a full, oro- 



80 warman's school-room friend. 

tund tone, Roll on, thou little marble ! roll ! 
The inconsistency will at once be appar- 
ent, yet it is no more so than describing or 
addressing a large object with a small tone. 

This tone of voice may also be misap- 
plied in what we will term 

PERSONAL GRIEF. 

In the rendering of pathetic selections or 
pathetic scenes, personal grief is a fault, and 
it will excite either pity or contempt for 
the speaker. 

In such rendering, the voice is too nar- 
row and draws the attention to the speaker, 
rather than to the character he wishes to 
present ; the speaker should be only the me- 
dium, and the tone should be broad enough 
to include all mankind who are in like sor- 
row or affliction. 

Rule. — Keep back your tears though it 
may require a struggle; put the tears in 
your voice, and then the struggle to over- 
come your emotion will overcome your 
audience and oblige them to feel your sor- 
row. Your words will thus act as an 
avenue, or as ap agent for their grief, as 
well as yours, and for this reason the tone 
should be broad. 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 8 1 

WORDS THAT ECHO THE SENSE. 

Rule. — Words which have a certain 
significance peculiar to themselves, should 
receive due attention, and an appropriate 
stress, in order to give them the correct 
expression. 

EXAMPLE. 

Hard, soft, iron, gold, warm, cold, and 
words of a similar nature, come under this 
heading. 

Beautiful — should be full of beauty. 
Pitiful — should be full of pity. 

Enchanting, disgusting, lovable, hateful, 
etc., will serve as examples of the various 
avenues of expression. 

EXAMPLE. 

" If I should die to-night, 
My friends would look upon my quiet face, 
Before they laid it in its resting place, 
And deem that death had left it almost fair; 
And laying snow-white flowers against my hair, 
Would smooth it down with tearful tenderness, 
And fold my hands with lingering caress. 
Poor hands, so empty and so cold to-night." 

In the rendering of the foregoing stanza, 
the median stress should be employed in 
the expression of all the emphatic words, 



82 warman's school-room friend. 

except empty ; the very character of this 
word does not admit of fulness, but ex- 
presses itself by its regretful emptiness. 
This stanza also furnishes a fine illustration 
of emphasis vs. stress, or force vs. quality. 
Much of our reading is marred by too 
little heed being given to 

EXPLANATORY SENTENCES. 

It is not that they are slighted, but on 
the contrary, are made too prominent. 

Rule. — An explanatory sentence should 
take the same inflection, but not the same 
pitch of that which it explains. 

EXAMPLE. 

" The ocean old, 

Centuries old, 
Strong as youth, and as uncontrolled, 
Paces restless to and fro, 
Up and down the sands of gold." 

The second and third lines are explana- 
tory, and should be taken out of the level 
of the first and fourth lines which belong 
on same pitch. Although the second and 
third lines are both explanatory, they should 
not appear on same pitch. 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 83 

The following diagram will show the 
relation of the lines to each other as re- 
gards pitch. 

1 The ocean old, 

2 Centuries old. 

3 Strong as youth, and as uncontrolled. 

1 Paces restless to and fro, 

2 Up and down the sands of gold. 

The subject and verb should be on the 
same level. 

The more emotional the thought, the 
loiver becomes the pitch of the voice ; but 
as the mind is addressed as distinguished 
from the emotions, the most important parts 
should be higher in pitch. 

EXAMPLE. 

2 Without giving any warning, 

3 Early one summer's morning, [kitchen 
2 That had stood for fifty years in a farmer's 
1 An old clock 1 Suddenly stopped. 

This tendency to give explanatory sen- 
tences too much prominence, is still more 
clearly shown in prose readings. We have 
chosen poetical selections because they are 
more used in public reading, and the poems 



84 warman's school-room friend. 

from which we quote are more or less 
familiar to the school-room readers. 

In Mark Twain s description of European 
Guides, we have a good illustration of ex- 
planatory sentences. In school, this selec- 
tion is wholly read — no action taking place 
— and it is right to do so, and to read the 
explanatory sentences if they are appropri- 
ately handled ; i. e., taken out of the level 
of the preceding and succeeding thought. 
But the platform reader should wholly 
omit the explanatory sentences because he 
should explain them by his actions. In all 
places where it speaks of the doctor or the 
guide doing thus and so, the reader should 
not speak of it and then do it, but should do 
it without speaking of it. 

The explanatory sentence acted by the 
reader, should not be voiced by him ; but 
if voiced — as is sometimes the case in 
poetry, — it should receive no action. 

Poe's " Raven " furnishes us a fine ex- 
ample of this* All the explanatory sen- 
tences are essential to the rhythmical 
order, and to the completeness of the pic- 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 85 

ture. The reader should speak of these 
things, but should not do them. He is 
speaking of a time long ago when he was 
" nodding, nearly napping.' ' It is not now. 
" Here I opened wide the door." He does 
not open it now. " Straight I wheeled a 
cushioned seat." He should not wheel it 
now. These are all past tense, and are ex- 
planatory of what he did then. These will 
all be much more impressive if the nodding 
and the napping, the walking and the 
wheeling are left to the vivid imaginations 
of the audience. They will thus be drawn 
more to the spirit of the selection, than to 
its mechanism; they will feel him as he 
suffers now, and see him as he suffered then. 
PARENTHETICAL SENTENCES. 

Rule. — Parenthetical sentences, like ex- 
planatory ones, are taken out of the level 
of the preceding thought, and are dealt 
with the same as the explanatory sentences 
with the exception that insomuch as they 
do not explain, they can generally be en- 
tirely dropped without detracting from the 
thought. 

EXAMPLE. 

In the wigwam with Nokomis 

With those gloomy guests that watched her, 



86 WARMAN'S SCHOOL-ROOM FRIEND, 

With the famine and the fever, 

She was lying, the beloved, 

She the dying Minnehaha. 

" Hark!" she said, " I hear a rushing, 

Hear a roaring and a rushing, 

Hear the Falls of Minnehaha 

Calling to me from a distance/ 

" No, my child!" said old Nokomis, 

" Tis the night wind in the pine-trees!" 

" Look!" she said, " I see my father 

Standing lonely at his door way, 

Beckoning to me from his wigwam 

In the land of the Dacotahs!" 

" No, my child!" said old Nokomis, 

"Tis the smoke that waves and beckons." 

The parenthetical sentences, " she said ■' 
and " said old Nokomis " are entirely un- 
necessary to the rendition of the thought. 
Nokomis and Minnehaha have both been 
mentioned as being in the tent. It does 
not require an expert to be able to distin- 
guish between the voice of a dying young 
woman and a healthful grandmother. It may- 
be argued that these parenthetical sentences 
are essential to the poetic measure. It is so 
in many cases, but not in this, as the pause 
will be more effective and less likely to 
break in upon the scene and destroy the 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 87 

spirit of the selection, than if utterance 
were given to that which does not add to 
the effect, nor to the clearness of the 
thought. The author of the poem, at one 
time in conversation with the author of 
this manual said, " I do not know what to 
call ' the famine ; ' it is not blank verse, 
nor can it be called poetry, though it may 
be said to embrace both." 

SACRIFICING NATURE. 

Rule. — Do not sacrifice nature for the 
sake of effect. 

example 1. 

And the only word there spoken, 
Was the whispered word, " Lenore!" 
This I whispered, and an echo 
Murmured back the word, " Lenore!" 

The effect may be very pleasant to an 
audience to hear the word " Lenore " 
whispered, and then have an echo given to 
the whispered word — if it is possible, — but 
we can assure you it is not natural. 

EXAMPLE II. 

" And the wind 
About the eaves of the cottage 
Sobs and grieves." 



It is neither necessary nor natural that 
the reader should so far impersonate the 
wind as to do the sobbing and grieving, 
however pleasant (?) it may be to an au- 
dience. 

UNFAMILIAR WORDS OR TERMS. 

Rule. — In speaking a name, word or 
term not generally known, make sufficient 
poise before and pause after the thought, to 
give your hearers time to comprehend the 
same. 

The effort to get the word or phrase — 
lost by insufficient pausing — causes one to 
lose what follows; hence, the interest ceases. 

EXAMPLE. 

" For lo! along the river's bed 
A mighty eygre reared its crest." 

The word " eygre " (a-gur) should come 
under this rule. 

Ministers should guard against this fault 
in speaking the Biblical names of persons, 
rivers, cities, etc,, with which the congre- 
gation is not expected to be wholly con- 
versant. 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 89 

CONJUNCTIONS. 

Rule. — All conjunctions (and, but, etc.,) 
should be passed over lightly unless they 
are intended as aids to a rhetorical pause, 
or to be emphasized in consequence of 
contrast. They are not always unimport- 
ant, hence require very judicious handling. 

Example. (Trowbridge's "One Day Soli- 
tary.") 

" Here I am at the end of my journey. 
And — well, it ain't jolly, not so very! — 
I'd like to throttle that sharp attorney." 

Example it. (Trowbridge s" Emigrant's 
Story.") 

" Then the wind took us, and — 

Well, the next minute I found myself," etc. 

EXAMPLE III. 

"Just as I am! without one plea 
(1st plea) But that thy blood was shed for me. 
(2d plea) And that thou bidst me come to thee." 

The word " and " should be emphasized 
and followed by a rhetorical pause. 

EXAMPLE IV. 
(Contrast) I said you or he, not you and he. 

ARTICLES— A and THE. 
Do not obscure the articles A and The 



g6 WARMANS SCHOOL-ROOM FRIEND. 

so much as to give them only voice ; nor do 
not speak them so clearly as to invite 
special attention to them. 

Rule. — Speak the "a" as you would in 
hastily repeating the alphabet. 

EXAMPLE. 

Among, above, about, adore, around. 

Rule. — Always endeavor to say The, 
but do not emphasize it. In making this 
effort, if it is immediately followed by a 
vowel, it will be quite clear ; if immedi- 
ately followed by a consonant it will 

drop to Thi. It should never descend to 

Thu. 

EXAMPLE. 

(The). The army. The evil. The idea. The 

ocean. The union. The actor. The enemy. 

The Indian. The oddest. The upper. 

EXAMPLE. 

(ThT). The bad. The cold, 
flow. The good. The high, 
lad The May. The night, 
quince. The ray. The sun. 
vine. The willow. The yoke. 

It is not necessary that the full sound of 
e should always be heard before a vowel, 



The dot. 


The 


The jar. 


The 


The pay. 


The 


The tar. 


The 


The zebra 





READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING, 91 

but by the organs being properly trained 
to always give e, without special stress, 
the results that we desire will be acquired. 

INDIVIDUALITY. 

The teacher in the public school, the in- 
structor for the pulpit, for the rostrum, or 
for the stage, should always aim to preserve 
the individuality of the pupiL 

RULE. — Avoid teaching by imitation, "Bor- 
rowed individualities, like borrowed gar- 
ments, seldom fit." 

The full power of a pupil can never be 
developed in that way. It is often the case 
that a pupil possesses greater native talent 
than his teacher. The instructor should 
be keen enough to observe this, and master 
enough to touch the right springs of action 
for the pupil. By this imitation teaching, 
otherwise excellent ministers, orators and 
readers have been shorn of their native 
power. They cannot soar upon the wings 
of eloquence, as is often their want and 
need, because they have unfortunately 
fallen into the hands of one who adopted 
the profession of teaching, but was never 



92 warman's school-room friend. 

adopted by it. Such a teacher lacks adapta- 
tion. He attacks the man's mannerisms, 
and with his professional shears he clips 
the wings of this born eagle. 

Mannerisms are often a Power. 

The true teacher will readily discrimi- 
nate between those that add strength to 
the speaker and those that clog the wheels 
of his progressive nature. Allow him to 
keep the former, but aid him to gradually 
lay by the latter. Impress upon your 
pupils in the schoolroom and of whatso- 
ever calling, that anything which ^/tracts 
to the individual, is liable to detract from 
the thought. We would prefer defective- 
ness to tf/fectation. 

Sound vs. Sense. 

Rule. — Do not mistake volume of voice 
for intensity of expression. 

The loudest tones are not always the 
most soul stirring. The clock with the 
loudest tick is not always the best. " It is 
the empty wagon that makes the most 
noise." The more intense the emotional 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 93 

expression, the lower should be the pitch 
of the voice, the more intense the mental 
anguish, the higher should be the pitch of 
the voice. 

EXAMPLE. 
" Tell's address to the Alps." 

This may be shouted as an exercise for 
the voice, but when the soul is put in it, 
the voice will lower in proportion to the 
" impress of divine awe." 

There are two schools of elocution as there 
are two schools of acting, the 

DECLAMATORY vs. THE NATURAL. 

Example. "Cassius' speech on Honor" should 
not be declaimed as though Cassius were speak- 
ing to a man a hundred feet away, and as though 
Cassius had written it down to speak at Brutus 
the first time he met him. Have the tone, the 
volume of voice, the general character, consis- 
tent with the sense. 

Rule. — Do not take a higher pitch when 
it is increased force that you need for a 
large room. 

Ere we make our bow concerning these 

principles of reading, we will conclude 

with a few words relative to 



94 warman's school-room friend. 

BOWING. 

This, of course, is not done in school 
reading, but is reserved until the essay, 
the oration, or the declamation is given. 
We are all familiar with the stereotyped 
bow ; it has been the same for ages ; it 
asserts itself even upon the platform with 
the public reader or speaker. 

We would not be so cruel as to rob the 
school-boy, or the school-girl of this priv- 
ilege and pleasure, for they, as well as the 
audience, often get more satisfaction from 
the bow than from anything else. 

It is our intention to speak a word con- 
cerning its significance and appropriate- 
ness as relating to the public speaker or 
reader. 

The public speaker or reader has no 
more cause to make a bow, than has the 
minister, — save in response to applause. 
In case of applause, he has an acknowledg- 
ment to which he must respond in return 
for something rendered him. 

It is very rude not to return a bow. An 
audience never does. It is true, it may bQ 



READING, RECITING, IMPERSONATING. 95 

a compliment to the speaker that the 
people are present ; but he should make it 
a compliment to them that he is there. If 
he is a master of his subject, they become 
indebted to him ; if he is not a master, he 
has no right there. If one still insists upon 
following the fashion, or has need to bow 
as an acknowledgment, we offer the fol- 
lowing 

Suggestion. — Make the bow gracefully 
w r ith the head, unless you are fortunate 
enough to receive prolonged applause, in 
which case not only the head (the intellect) 
should bow, but the body (the heart) should 
incline gracefully from the waist. Do not 
drop the head so low as to hide the eye. 
Keep the eye steadily fixed upon the au- 
dience, or the bow will be of such a nature 
as to bring you within the realm of humili- 
ation — a position which should never be 
taken by the speaker. 

Be not pompous, but firm ; keep a re- 
serve of power in your voice, in your atti- 
tudes, and in your general bearing. 



APPENDIX. 



For the interest and benefit of those who 
purchase this book, we add Prof. War- 
man's well known lecture, 

" TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION." 

This is very valuable and instructive, 
but is not intended as a part of the text- 
book on reading. Please read the letters 
of commendation from Wendell Phillips, 
John B. Gough and others, at the end of 
the lecture. 

The Publisher. 



(97) 



LECTURE. 



TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION 



-BY — 



Prof. E. B. Warman, a. m. 



As " There are loves and loves," so there 
are readers and readers. It is an error to 
suppose that every one can become a good 
reader. Readers, like orators, are born, 
not made. It is essential to have constantly 
before us, the highest type of manhood 
and womanhood as our ideal; to be pos- 
sessed of the finest sensibilities ; to be thor- 
ough students of human nature, else how 
could we interpret such characters? 

Our greatest orators, ministers, readers 
and public speakers, are those whose words 
shine right through a clean, pure, white 
soul — ay, breathing, as it were, the very 
breath of the Divine. 

Two questions naturally arise here. ist. 
Is it to be understood that these qualities 
(i) 



2 TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 

cannot be acquired? 2d. If one possesses 
these qualities, what need of a teacher? 
These qualities can not be acquired ; there 
must be a germ, and that germ innate, hence 
it will not be an acquisition but a cultivation 
of those qualities. There must be a some- 
thing to cultivate, and the result will be in 
proportion to the congeniality of the soil. 

Why do we need the teacher? The pos- 
sessor of these talents, like the unrefined 
gold or the diamond in the rough, must of 
necessity pass through a certain process, 
according to the individual needs, before 
claiming the highest attention, and being of 
the greatest value. In some cases these 
talents may possibly lie dormant, and even 
be unconscious to the possessor, but, like the 
instrument which cannot of itself play, it 
needs but the master hand to bring forth 
its sweetest melodies. 

One may possess the spirit, yet have 
much to learn that the spirit alone will not 
supply ; for instance, no one will read, 
speak, or sing to the best advantage, who 
does net breathe correctly. 

By a very careful estimate it is found 
that only about eight in one hundred 
breathe correctly, and not more than about 
one in five thousand-many of these teachers 
of elocution and teachers of vocal music — 



TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 3 

who understand the proper management 
of the breath, i. e. , to economize the ex- 
penditure of breath in the production of 
tone. Strange we have lived all these years 
and do not breathe correctly? No, no more 
strange that we violate this than any other 
of nature's laws, all of which must be paid 
back, and that with good interest. 

Do you ask for proof? You will find it 
in worn out ministers and other public 
speakers all over the country, many of 
whom have not yet reached their prime. 

We desire to call special attention to one 
very important fact, with which all leading 
physicians will concur, viz.: There are 
more cases of bronchitis and pulmonary 
consumption caused by an ignorance of the 
proper use of the lungs and larynx than all 
other causes combined. 

To prevent and remedy this trouble is the 
work of the teacher of elocution ; therefore 
the first step is to take the pupil back to 
childhood. Every healthful child breathes 
correctly, but as we grow older, we seem 
to grow no wiser in this respect. 

Many people — especially ladies — make a 
very serious, ay, a fatal mistake, in assum- 
ing a wisdom beyond that of the Supreme 
Being, in reversing the order of the size of 
the lungs. Thus, by bad habits, and — 



4 TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 

worse, corsets — and possibly by inheriting 
weak constitutions, we find so much of in- 
correct breathing, and this, as has already 
been shown, brings with it other defects, 
physically, and consequently vocally, many 
of which come under the direct province of 
the true teacher of elocution, who, to be 
such, must of necessity be thoroughly 
versed in vocal physiology ; and having 
this knowledge of the breathing and vocal 
apparatus, can readily and efficiently do 
with vocal treatment, what cannot be so 
successfully and satisfactorily done with 
medicine. 

The medicine may remove the effect but 
does not reach the cause, and the same 
cause will produce a like effect; therefore 
by understanding the use of the voice, 
much of the lung, bronchial and throat 
trouble can be entirely eradicated, and, 
known in time, can be prevented. 

This knowledge will enable one to use 
the voice for hours, for consecutive nights, 
even for consecutive months, without 
hoarseness or weariness ; but, on the con- 
trary, like every healthful exercise, will in- 
vigorate the whole system. This very im- 
portant branch of our work is here stated, 
because a very general idea prevails that 
the business of an elocutionist is only to 



TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 5 

teach those who intend to become public 
readers. Year after year, from our various 
Institutes are graduated pupils to fill im- 
portant positions — the pulpit, the bar, the 
schoolroom, etc., with no knowledge what- 
ever of the use of the human voice. Mark 
the result. Call to mind as many as you 
will who occupy these positions, and how 
many are exempt from some throat, lung 
or bronchial trouble, arising wholly from 
an improper use of the lungs and larynx. 

Our pupils are furnished with knowledge 
but no medium for the conveyance of that 
knowledge ; they are given the sword but 
no handle wherewith to wield it. They 
know little or nothing of the human voice, 
" the great outlet and passage way of the 
soul, the canvas upon which we may throw 
thought and feeling that others may see 
and read ; the divine current which allies 
man to his fellow.'' 

It matters not in what business you may 
be engaged, or whether a lady or gentle- 
man of leisure, you will find in the study 
of true elocution that which will meet your 
individual needs and the better fit you for 
business or for the social circle. The study 
of the voice alone, is advantageous in every 
vocation of life. u The business man lays 
his voice by the side of his wares and the 



6 TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 

eye of the purchaser harmonizes with the 
ear in its judgment." Some voices repel, 
others attract. In the home circle, and in 
fact everywhere, it is well to remember 
that "Molasses catches more flies than vine- 
gar." Sweeten your voices and you will 
sweeten your lives and your homes. 

You should not be satisfied with voice 
building only, but also culture the voice, and 
this cultured voice will be reflex in its 
action. "Acquirement may pass away, but 
culture never leaves a man ; by acquirement 
a man lias something, by culture he is 
something : culture engrosses the whole 
man." 

The tone of voice bespeaks the individ- 
ual. One may be exquisitely dressed yet 
show no proof of his good taste, for it may 
be the work of another, but when we hear 
him speak we are not long in determining 
whether any one lives there or not, for 
" Expression is the dress of thought." Thus 
the quality of the voice is just as essential 
as the quantity. 

Your hearers should not only be able to 
hear and understand but by the quality of 
your voice be induced to listen. 

A dull, monotonous reader will not win 
the ear, however faultless otherwise the 
rendering of the sense. Every color of the 



TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 7 

rainbow is depicted in the human voice, 
hence the reader will — in proportion as he 
is an artist — use the artist's precision in the 
laying on of tints and the grouping of ob- 
jects. Coloring, in reading, may be de- 
scribed as the different phases of emotional 
expression in the voice. The picture should 
be distinct in the mind of the reader, the 
central figure corresponding with the em- 
phatic word. This distinctness must be 
carefully observed, else the audience will 
fail to see a clear painting. One of the old 
Arabian proverbs is, " When you read of a 
horse, see the prints of its hoofs." 

Let us now look for a moment at some 
of the faults of readers and teachers of elo- 
cution. There are none of us without 
faults, but what will here be mentioned, 
are among the more palpable. 

There are teachers who allow pupils to 
begin reading without any knowledge of 
the breathing or vocal apparatus, or the 
slightest idea of the formation of the ele- 
mentary sounds of the English language ; 
consequently, the critical ear must be the 
victim to the harsh and discordant sounds, 
the faulty articulation and pronunciation, 
and many defects consequent on such 
teaching. But this is not all ; teachers who 
ignore this, from whatever cause, are gen- 



5 TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 

erally those who teach the do-as-I-do sys- 
tem, i. <?., nothing but imitation. What an 
error, when we consider the fact that we 
are more apt in imitating faults than excel- 
lencies. "As reason increases, imitation de- 
creases." By this imitation teaching we 
soon find the pupil a mere machine ; at no 
time in sympathy with the subject, merely 
a calling of words without any thoughts, 
so that without developing and disciplin- 
ing the mind to act for itself, to enable one 
not only to perceive the thoughts of the 
great authors, but to comprehend them, and 
by the voice and its auxiliaries to intelli- 
gently and satisfactorily present them to 
an audience, they are merely teaching them 
to declaim, and causing them, as has just 
been stated, to be mechanical in their work. 
(See page 91). 

A statue is not a work of art when it 
shows the marks of the tools; neither is the 
reader an artist when he shows the mechan- 
ism in his work, ay, even if he shows 
himself. 

When we look at a beautiful building 
and admire its architecture, we see a work 
of art ; we see the result of mechanism and 
not the mechanism itself ; neither is there 
now any trace of the rough scaffolding 
which was necessary for its completion. 



TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 9 

So it is with all art ; whether it be " in the 
cold marble, or on the canvas, or on the 
printed page," we should see no trace of 
anything which would mar its beauty. The 
reader should step upon the platform free 
from aught that would detract from the 
thought. Before an audience is not the 
place to practice ; but hours and days, and 
even months, of private work are neces- 
sary, so that the previous drill will assure 
us that every tone of voice, every position 
of the body, every gesture and facial ex- 
pression, will respond to the impulses of 
the will, then all will work in perfect har- 
mony, and thought will be the motive 
power. All this requires much patience 
and study, but be assured, " The object is 
worthy the effort." 

A gentleman in Paris took his son to Del- 
sarte — the great master of expression — to 
have him prepared for the stage. The 
gentleman asked Delsarte what play he 
should begin with ; the answer was, " Not 
any." " What book will he use?" "Not 
any." He began with the young man on 
one word, he ended with him on that one 
word, but not until he could speak it 625 
ways, with its corresponding expressions — 
facial and vocal — gestures, intonations, 
positions, etc., and when that was satisfac- 



ro TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 

torily done, the young man passed from 
that instruction to the stage and became 
an actor of great versatility and power. 

Let us look again at another class of 
readers and teachers— especially readers — 
who have never had a lesson in elocution. 
Would you not deem it an act of insanity 
were a man to make music or painting his 
profession, without previous study with a 
master of the art he purposes to practice ? 
Reference is here made to a class of read- 
ers who palm themselves off as profes- 
sionals, but possessing no right whatever 
to the title. They belong to that large 
class of natural readers who are self-satis- 
fied, and seem to take pride in the thought 
that they are self-made. So they are, and 
generally worship their creator. 

There are many so-called natural readers 
who are very unnatural. Naturalness 
should be consistent with nature, and that 
of the highest order. The writer of this 
article was once a natural reader, i; e., 
naturally a very awkward and tempestuous 
one. Though thoroughly infused with the 
spirit of the subject, his nature had become 
more or less perverted, or circumstances 
over which he had no control, had for a 
time governed him, consequently he was 
cramped in his expressions. It is essential 



TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. II 

to be free, free as the mountain stream, 
which, rushing hither and thither, is ever 
obedient to its source. These persons who 
are self-made and need no instruction, re- 
mind us very much of the bo)^ who built 
the ship. On being questioned as to the 
mechanic he replied, that he built it himself 
all out of his own head, and had plenty of 
wood left for another. Again, we find a 
class of teachers who claim to give you all 
in ten lessons. Possibly so ; L e., all they 
have. All of elocution cannot be taught in 
ten lessons, nor ten weeks, nor ten months, 
nor ten years. It is the work of a lifetime, 
notwithstanding to the contrary, there are 
teachers who claim to be able to graduate 
any one in three months, no matter whether 
they have any brains or not. Such teachers 
have elocution on the brain, but very little 
brain on elocution. Perfection is unknown 
in this art ; were it possible to reach that 
state, there would be nothing more to work 
for. As we advance so does our ideal. It is 
not claimed that nothing can be done in ten 
lessons ; very much indeed may be accom- 
plished, according to the ability of the 
teacher and the aptness of the pupil. 

It is astonishing to note the lack of judg- 
ment, at times, that the great mass of 
people show in reference to elocution ; for 



12 TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 

instance— a pupil who has had no previous 
instruction in the art ; probably has never 
read a line in public; and what is more 
cannot even call the words ; and the voice 
throaty, possibly nasal, withal ; does not 
know what a gesture means ; can only make 
a few motions and those of a pump-handle 
nature ; has not firmness enough to even 
stand erect before an audience ; lacks ideal- 
ity and individuality, and never dreams of 
sublimity ; such an one with these and 
many other faults too numerous to men- 
tion, having finished a course of ten lessons, 
and being invited to pass an evening with 
friends, is importuned to read, and the an- 
nouncement that he does not yet feel com- 
petent so to do, is received with astonish- 
ment. What, ten lessons, and not able to 
read ? 

Would you think of asking a pupil at 
the completion of ten lessons in either 
vocal or instrumental music, to entertain 
friends? Is not the one just as reasonable 
a demand as the other? Is it not strange 
that while multitudes are industriously 
striving to learn the art of singing, it ap- 
pears not to be known that the art of read- 
ing and speaking demands equally patient 
study, and is vastly more useful when at- 
tained ? Are you aware that in the use of 



TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 1 3 

the human voice you are learning to play 
upon the most delicate and difficult instru- 
ment in the world ? Simple, 'tis true, but 
all the greater for its simplicity. No heart 
so hardened that may not be touched by 
its melodies. Reading is both a science and 
an art. " Science is a knowledge of facts 
and forces ; art is the intellectual and man- 
ual power to control such forces for the 
gratification and benefit of mankind. 
Science is the embodiment of intellectual 
discoveries ; art is the archangel which 
puts theory into practice for the world's 
permanent good." The highest art is to 
conceal art. " To hold the mirror up to 
nature." Nature should never be sacrificed 
for the sake of effect. (See page 87). 

Let us study nature in its various forms 
and learn to appreciate an artist whether it 
be on the stage or platform, and it will be 
but a short time till acting and reading of 
this order will receive its true and due 
merit, and the ranter will have had his day. 
The word elocution has become so per- 
verted, that we have now come to look 
upon an elocutionist as one who plays with 
his voice, i. e. y the more noise the more elo- 
cution, thereby falling into, the very com- 
mon error of mistaking volume of voice 
for intensity of expression. (See page 92). 



14 TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 

The very root of all oratory is to gain 
the sympathy of your audience, and this is 
done, in a great degree, by the tone of 
voice, and the voice, to be thoroughly sym- 
pathetic, must have the heart element in it. 
" True eloquence consists in not only feel- 
ing a truth yourself, but in making those 
who hear you feel it." There are three 
channels through which every vocal ex- 
pression must pass in order to be effectual 
and serve for proof as to whether the 
speaker is in sympathy with his subject, 
viz., mental, facial and vocal, and will be 
expressed in this order. Words from the 
mind are but the mind made audible, and 
the tone of voice will therefore vary with 
every wave of thought or feeling. Every 
sentence should be fraught with meaning ; 
but the speaker should so control his voice 
as to address his hearers in such a manner 
that they will be conscious of a reserved 
power, a force behind the actual expres- 
sion, which they feel, but cannot measure. 
In the rendering of what is pathetic, per- 
sonal grief is a fault, and excites either pity 
or contempt for the speaker. We must 
feel the grief that takes in all mankind. 
(See page 80). The greater the grief, the 
deeper, and almost inexpressible ; when it 
does have vent, the result is not merely a 



TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 1 5 

bubbling over at the lips, but a bursting 
forth as though the very heart would 
break. 

Our control over an audience is in pro- 
portion to our control over ourselves. 
There is probably no word in the English 
language that will better convey our mean- 
ing—though more expressive than elegant 
— -than " slopping over." 

Artemus Ward said of George Washing- 
ton, " he never slopped over." The appli- 
cation of this remark in reading, is this — 
However pathetic the selection, try to 
master your grief instead of allowing it to 
master you. This very inward struggle of 
the emotions will give you a power over 
an audience that can never be had, if you 
allow the tears perfect freedom ; in other 
words, put the tears in your voice, and in 
proportion as you have previously ac- 
quainted yourself with the voice in its var- 
ied moods, you will express greater or less 
emotion. Do not mistake this word emo- 
tion. We frequently have a great deal of 
motion, with little or no emotion. Emotion 
is a moving out, not of the limbs merely, but 
of thought and feeling from the heart. 
Every movement that does not add to the 
effect will detract therefrom, whether it be 
of the head, hand or foot. Thus, many 



l6 TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 

men mistake motion for emotion, and are 
thus led to believe that perspiration is in- 
spiration. "Simplicity is the basis of all 
excellence." Though much stress has been 
laid upon the voice, let us not lose sight of 
the fact that the positions of the body affect 
the tone of voice, and that you will also 
find them harmonizing, thereby showing 
very clearly, so to speak, the attitude of the 
mind. 

This is well illustrated by one under the 
influence of liquor; the body becomes limp, 
the tongue ceases to act with neatness and 
precision, thereby destroying the best ar- 
ticulate effect, and the voice takes on the 
vital tone and harmonizes with the body in 
its lack of support. (An illustration is here 
given by the speaker). 

One may readily perceive the harmony 
existing between the physical and vocal 
expressions. Another example in which 
you all may have had some experience, viz : 
Endeavoring to speak pleasantly while you 
are looking cross, or vice versa, neither 
of which it is possible to do. 

Another very prevalent fault among 
readers and public speakers, is that of drop- 
ping the tone. (See page 77). We deal 
with thoughts as we deal with tangible 
objects. 



TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 17 

There comes to mind a certain pastor in a 
distant city who never gave his thoughts 
to his congregation, but kept his eye steadily 
fixed upon a favorite place in the ceiling, 
and there he lodged all his thoughts; at 
least, such was the supposition, for they 
were never heard of afterward. 

Again : A fault in which nearly every 
reader must admit of possessing his share, 
viz., personating where it is merely narra- 
tive. (See page 65). 

Let us now u come to the quick and the 
heart of the matter " by asking ourselves 
why do we not have better reading and a 
better appreciation of correct reading. Be- 
cause of ignorance of the so-called profes- 
sors of their art. The public, also, are in a 
great measure responsible. We must ad- 
mit there are teachers of elocution and 
public readers in many of our cities, who 
have but a mere smattering of the art they 
profess to teach. Charlatans exist in every 
profession. Anything genuine will have 
many counterfeits, and the counterfeiters 
will receive patronage and meet with a 
certain degree of success so long as the 
public remain in ignorance of what consti- 
tutes the true elements essential to correct 
reading and teaching ; therefore public taste 
not being sufficiently cultivated, accounts, 



15 TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 

in a great measure, for the scarcity of good 
readers, or more properly perhaps, the 
prevalence of bad ones. If those who hear 
such readers and teachers, would learn to 
discriminate between the true and the false, 
the standard of the one would be raised, 
and the other seek its level. 

The true reader and teacher is a repre- 
sentative in a profession second to none in 
the world ; a profession, which, when thor- 
oughly taught, includes in that teaching 
much that tends to make life grander, no- 
bler, and to fit us for the higher walks of 
life. To the reader is given an opportunity 
of wielding an influence, the power of 
which is often greater than that of the 
minister of the gospel. One is able in a 
public reading to reach a class of individ- 
uals who never come within the pale of the 
church, and it is only a statement of facts 
to say that this class embraces many grand, 
noble men and women. True practical elo- 
cution and true practical religion go hand 
in hand, for all public reading should be 
elevating in its character. Should have as 
its object, the exalting of what is good, and 
the suppression of what is evil. To do this 
it is not necessary to be an "Aunty Dole- 
ful." The masses, we are aware, call for 
comedy ; then let us present a good class, 



TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 19 

but not all comedy. Let us present the dark 
and the bright side of the picture, that by 
the contrast greater good may be done. 
How many a sad heart has been cheered 
by the presentation of a good comedy, and 
how many a youth rushing headlong to de- 
struction, has been checked and caused to 
reflect, by the portrayal of a character so 
like his own. What sermons lie in such 
selections as, " The Bridge of Sighs," — 
"The Actor's Story/'— " The Vagabonds," 
— "One Day Solitary," — "Beautiful Snow," 
—"Why a Boot-Black sold his Kit,"— "Bet- 
sey and I are out," — " How Betsey and I 
made up," etc. Let us ask ourselves, "Did 
God ever make a heart that would not 
respond if the right chord were touched?" 
What a pleasant thought to know that it 
lies within the province of a reader, many 
times, to touch a chord that has long been 
mute. Allow us to cite but two of many 
instances coming" directly under the notice 
of the writer of this article, he serving as 
the humble instrument thereof. On one 
occasion, the reading of the last two named 
selections, — "Betsey and I are out" and 
"How Betsey and I made up," — was the 
means of re-uniting a family that had been 
separated seven years. At another time 
the recital of the poem "One Day Solitary" 



20 TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 

touched the heart of many a convict who 
saw in its portrayal but a reflex of himself, 
and the ultimate good may never be known 
except to Him who reads our inmost 
thoughts. 

We shall never forget the look of the 
most hardened criminal within those prison 
walls, as he sat before us with folded arms 
during the impersonation of this poem. 
He watched us steadily with unflinching 
eye, from underneath those black, massive 
shaggy eyebrows, while ever and anon his 
hand would steal nervously to his cheek. 
For what! For what? To brush away a 
tear. Ay, a tear, that he would not wil- 
lingly have shed for the world, for, as he 
glanced hastily at his comrade on either 
side, a bright light shot quickly athwart 
those swarthy features, when he recognized 
the same act in them. 

Ay, on that occasion, one word be- 
dimmed many an eye that had long been 
strange to tears, and softened many a heart 
that the world would call cold and indif- 
ferent; that one word was "Mother," and 
as it was uttered, many a head bent low, 
and who can tell the many varied scenes of 
life that passed before them in quick suc- 
cession in panoramic view ? What word in 
the English language associates with it so 



TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 21 

much of tenderness, gentleness, forgiveness, 
as "Mother." 

Then what are we to glean from these 
facts? That while we entertain, we should 
also instruct. The reader in the course of 
the evening, should paint for an audience 
at least one picture of good influence in 
such a manner that it would hang on mem- 
ory's walls for years, perhaps forever. The 
reader should not leave an impression of 
himself, but of the characters and var- 
ious scenes which he represents to you. 
When you leave an entertainment ask 
yourselves, as a test of its merit, in addition 
to the enjoyment of the passing hour, was it 
elevating in its character? Do you carry 
away with you anything that will make 
.your heart lighter, your path brighter, 
your resolutions of character more firm? 
If not, it has not been wholly a success. 
The reader should be encouraged in this 
class of reading by the public not being 
satisfied with mere show. We especially 
refer to costume readings. They are very 
good of their kind and in their way, but 
should never be recognized on the reading 
platform proper. No reader who is an 
artist in his profession, will ever have* occa- 
sion to resort to wigs or costuming. He 
who does so has not yet reached a very 



22 TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 

high standard as a reader, though he may 
be excellent in his specialty. It is said that 
" charity covereth a multitude of sins;" ay, 
so do handsome wardrobes, costumes and 
wig, cover a multitude of elocutionary sins. 
They may please the eye, but they fail to 
win the ear. It were better if readers 
would get into the atmosphere of the selec- 
tions and think less of getting into the 
wardrobe. No two persons ever see a 
statue or painting exactly the same, but 
through the eye as it has been educated. 
The person of culture and refinement looks 
upon a statue and sees only that which is 
suggestive of high art, while the person of 
low order and degraded tastes, looking 
through flaming eyes of passion, sees naught 
that is suggestive of purity. Though the 
statue be the same in both cases, the eyes 
being differently educated, behold a dif- 
ferent statue. So it is with the characters 
the reader portrays. If he but voice the , 
words of the author, the audience will 
clothe the characters to suit their individ- 
ual tastes, but if he clothes it, he compels 
them to look at it as he presents it, i. e. y ac- 
cording to his conception, no matter how 
inconsistent it may be with theirs. Even 
in so-called character readings, it is only the 
business of the reader to clothe the thought 



TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 23 

by giving it the proper expression, and 
leave the costuming to the varied tastes 
and imaginations of the audience. 

Costuming belongs to the stage and not 
to the platform, except where one makes a 
specialty of impersonating some well known 
characters of our own day. Some of us 
have seen and heard a reader of Shakes- 
peare, who would faithfully and satisfac- 
torily portray to an audience, the tender- 
ness of a Juliet, the pathos of an Ophelia 
and the terrible passion of a Lear, and all 
this without change of costume or use of a 
wig. Many of you undoubtedly.have had 
the pleasure of listening to the readings of 
the late Charlotte Cushman, who would 
paint in vivid colors the entire tragedy of 
Macbeth, while she would remain sitting 
at the reading desk — a fine example of re- 
served power. Are you aware that more 
and better talent is required to become a 
good versatile reader than a star actor ? 
While an actor for an evening portrays but 
one character, and that with the assistance 
of costuming, scenic effect, and other, some- 
times equally attractive actors, the reader 
stands alone, without costuming, without 
scenic effect, without any but imaginary 
characters to draw out his power, and pre- 
sents to an audience by his voice and 



24 TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 

action, all kinds and conditions of charac- 
ter, scenery of varied description, etc., and 
all this so effectually, that you at once for- 
get the reader and are yourselves living 
amid those scenes and walking and talking 
with those characters. To sum it all up, a 
certain French writer has so well expressed 
it : " The actor is only the soloist in the 
orchestra, the reader is the zvhole orchestra" 
Many of you, doubtless, have heard read- 
ers, whom by their elocutionary vocifera- 
tions, you would pronounce a whole brass 
band — not much of a compliment to the 
band, either. Whenever you hear an actor 
or a dramatic critic speak disparagingly of 
elocution as a qualification essential for the 
stage, you may rest assured they are either 
prejudiced or do not know of what true elo- 
cution consists. Declamatory and mechani- 
cal readers, like declamatory and mechanical 
actors, are abominable. A true reader will 
make a true actor. Hear what a New York 
dramatic critic — who is not prejudiced — 
has to say upon the subject. Writing of a 
certain actor and actress, he says, *' They 
are thoroughly trained, they know the prin- 
ciples of their art, a very different thing 
from knowing the business ; they pay laud- 
able attention to one supremely important 
point recklessly disregarded upon our 



TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 25 

stage, viz. — Elocution." When we consider 
the deficiencies of many of our readers and 
actors, 1. e., their limited knowledge of 
their profession, surely it is not unjust to 
cite, as a parallel case, that of the man who 
had acknowledged that he had never been 
to school, but boasted that he had met the 
children on the way to and from. "What- 
ever is worth doing at all is worth doing 
well." When a man chooses his profession, 
or it should be, when a profession chooses 
the man, he should be willing to give his 
life work to it. 

One thought more, and that briefly stated. 
We must not expect general good reading 
until we have more knowledge of it in our 
public schools. Bad habits acquired in 
childhood in the performance of the merely 
mechanical act of sounding printed words, 
without the ideas that they are intended to 
convey, are the foundation of bad readers 
in after life ; the words going in at the eye, 
and coming out at the mouth without pass- 
ing through the intelligent mind. 

There is no branch of education more 
needed and yet more neglected than read- 
ing. As "Education does not consist in 
the possession, merely, but in the application 
of knowledge," and that application must 
have a medium, and that medium is gen- 



26 TRUE AND FALSE ELOCUTION. 

erally the voice, then how can we place 
too much stress upon the teachings of true 
elocution? 

Let us accord then to a master of this 
art, the highest place in one of the highest 
professions because of his worth to the 
world at large ; remembering at all times 
that a man is not estimated "by what the 
world gives to //////, but for what he gives 
to the world," and added to this the fact 
that " our highest happiness is reflex, it is 
that which comes back to us from the joy 
we have given others." It has been our 
endeavor in the foregoing, to invite think- 
ing minds to look at the subject in its true 
light ; and our conclusions are, we must 
have a higher standard of reading and 
teaching, and to do this, devolves upon 
teacher, reader and hearer. 



From JOHN B. GOUGH. 

"I am much pleased and interested in your lecture on *True and 
False Elocution.* It is truly much in little and contains more of 
instruction, suggestion and help to a speaker, and to any who de- 
sire to be an attractive orator, than any work I have ever seen. I 
wish it could be placed in the hands of every young man who has 
the ambition to be either a g-ood reader, conversationalist or an 
nttractive speaker. All, whether in the commencement of their 
efforts, or having- even obtained a reputation for eloquence, can be 
essentially benefited by studying- your lecture thoroughly.'* 




From J. T. TROWBEIDGE. 

"I have received a copy of your lecture on 'True and False Elo- 
cution/ I do not consider myself a competent critic of the subject, 
but your work seems to be founded on indisputably just principles, 
and the tone of it is excellent. It comes to me like a breath of the 
very atmosphere of Prof. Monroe's admirable school. I congratu- 
late you on your success ; which no elocutionist has better deserved 
—if industry and conscientious study are to count for anything-." 




From HON. GEO. B. WEUDLING. 

"I have read and greatly enjoyed your lecture of 'True and False 
Elocution.' It contains many valuable sug-g-estions, and is well 
worthy a careful perusal by every public speaker or reader." 
Yours very truly, 

George R. Wendling. 






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CLIPPINGS FROM THE PRESS. 



"The Actor's Story," and "One Day Solitary," were fine charac- 
terizations, rendered with wonderful truthfulness and power. It is 
hard 10 sav whether Prof. W. excels in representing- the intense 
feeling delineated in the last named selections or the humorous, but 
it is safe to say that he does well whatever he attempts. We think, 
howev r, that the pure joyousness that bubbles up so gaily in his 
mirth, like the musical ripple of a clear mountain brook, is the 
mi st perfect enjoyment he bestows upon his audience. His laugh- 
ter is as natural, merry and infectious as a child's.— Evanston (///.) 
Rep. 

Mr. Warman seems to be an exception to traveling elocutionists. 
He is a man of liberal culture and large experience; and what is 
more important to note, he is far as possible removed from aught 
that is artificial, vapid or overwrought declamation, but is perfectly 
natural.— Dts Moines {Iowa) Register. 

Prof. E. B. Wurman's lectures on "Bible and Hymn Reading" 
and "Poe's Raven,'-* we-e the finest efforts of the kind ever given 
to our people. He Ls a specialist who understands his an.— Oska- 
loosa (lovja) Herald. 

Prof. Wurman's wonderful transition from tragedy to ludicrous, 
in delivery, action, posture and facial expression, we have rarely 
seen equaled and never excelled. He mak< s an agreeable discrimi- 
nation between the true and the false elocution, and holds the 
attention o his audience from beginning to the end of his pro- 
gramme. The numerous sel etions were given in a refined vein 
no: common with elocutionists. At the close Prof. W. gave an ex- 
hibition of Indian Club swinging that was scientific in itself and 
wonderful to th<- beholder. He uses two eight pound clubs, and 
his -kiliful handling proved that he was a master of the art. — 
Beatrice {Neb ) Ezp>tss. 

As a render, Prof. Warman will take a high rank. Possessed of 
a voice of considerable compass, and capable of almost infinite 
modulations, he seems to get at the spirit of whatever he attempts 
to recite, and he breathes it out upon those around him. — Boston 
Post. 

Prof. Warman read Longfellow's "Famine" in a manner which 
showed study and a true appreciation of the poet. — Boston Tran- 
script. 

Prof. Warman possesses a deep rich voice, which is finely culti- 
vated, and under perfect control.— Detroit Free Press. 

He read in a manner that none but a master could approach. — 
Mansfield, (O.) Liberal. 

It mattered not what the subject was, he was able to go into and 
bring out what was in it. convulsing the audience with laughter, 
or hushing it to the stillness of death. — Lovjell {Mass. Courier. 

Prof. Warman's readings at Congress Hall, Tuesday evening, 
23d inst, were listened to by a cultivated and appreciative audience 
large enough to fill the hall. There is no question among those 
who heard him that Prof. Warman is a finished elocutionist, pos- 
sessing a most pleasing voice which he knows how to use to the 
best advantage. — Chronicle, Portsmouth, N. H. 

While every part was well don°, Mr. Warman seemed to excel in 
his descriptive pieces. The selections on the programme by WiH 
Carleton were rendered with a naturalness and pathos which 
showed the insight of the reader into the heart-life of weak human- 
i y.- Caledonian, St. Jo/msbury, Vt. 



Prof. Warman gave a reading in Town Hall, Saturday evening. 
The selections were rendered in a manner to warrant one in placing 
the professor in the foremost rank of the elocutionists, and his suc- 
cess in holding the attention of the audience is remarkable. — Lon- 
donderry, N. H. Cor. to Exeter Nevjs Letter. 

His perfect rendition of different characters, fine scholarly ability 
and success in elocution demand for him an enviable position in 
society, and a successful public career in the future. He enters into 
his work with true earnestness, his very soul seemingly inspired 
by the character he represents, thus holding an audience spell- 
bound. — Messenger, Maple Rapids, Mick, 

His versatility of genius, both in facial and vocal expression, 
was such as to hold the interest unbroken through the entire pro- 
gramme. His voice is under excellent control and exhibits with 
fine effect the resonant and moral elemen s of tone. His manner 
and gesture, when tested by the highest art, were true in his most 
ordinary as his most exalted portraitures. — Chicago Inter-Ocean. 

Prof. Warman possesses fine powers, evidently the result of long 
training a- d study. Every word he articulates seems to vibrate 
through the hall, and so clear and distinct that the listener never 
grows weary. — Cleveland (Okio), Leader. 

His reading as a whole was so good that it would be hard to par- 
ticularize the most meritorious, though we think that his rendering 
of Will Carleton's Farm Ballads was perhaps the best part of the 
evening. He is a genuine humorist, as his "Der Baby" and other 
humorous pieces attested. — Norzvalk (O.), Reflector. \ 

"His rendition of 'Paul Revere's Ride,' was splendid; glowing 
along in the spirit of the times in which it was written, 'Rock me 
to Sleep,' sent many minds back to the days when 'last hushed by 
your lullaby song.' " — Western Indianian. 

"Prof. Warman's keen perception of the pieces read, the spirit 
and enthusiasm with which he rendered them, his easy and graceful 
gestures, his clear and distinct enunciation of every word and sylla. 
ble, show h<m to be a perfect master, not only of "the art, but also 
the science of his profession." — Tpsilanti (Mick.) Commercial. 

"No one can appreciate the power of spoken words, or the possi- 
bilities of the human voice for expression until they have listened 
to Prof. Warman's readings and recitations/' — Port Huron Times. 

"Prof. Warman's entertainment at the Church of the Epiphany 
last night, was a decided success, ihe audience being entirely car- 
ried away by sympathy with the reader and enthusiasm for his 
dramatic powers." — Detroit Evening- News. 

"The prof ^ssor rendered his selections with perfect ease and dif- 
ferent from the usual mechanical manner, seeming to feel every 
thought that his words expressed. — Grand Rapids (Mick.) Leader. 

"The professor's recitations were very fine and exceeded the 
expectations of those who heard him, and although a stranger in 
our city, he has made many warm friends, who freely say that he is 
undoubtedly the best elocutionist in the State." — Grand Rapids 
{Mick.) Times. 

Prof. E. B. Warman gave his second reading at the Opera House 
last Monday evening to a large and appreciative audience who 
were unanimous in their praise of his ability in the portrayal of 
character, and of his power of holding their rapt attention. His 
rendering of " The Famine" was surely a masterpiece of itself 
requiring almost the entire compass of his well trained and thor- 
oughly cultured voice. His "One Day Solitary" will live in the 
hearts of the people, long, long years hence. Though his stay with 
us shall have been very short, he leaves a good impression as a man 
and an artist, and his name shall become a household word as asso- 
ciated with the chaste and refined entertainments he has given to 
our people. — Alpena (Mick.) Democrat. 



IK PRESS. 



WARMAN'S 

PRACTICAL UHTHIIEFY 



HND CRITIQUE. 



By PROF. E. B. WARMAN, A. M., 

Teacher of Oratory and Physical Training-, Presbyterian Theo- 
logical Seminary, Chicago. 



Containing Valuable 

HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS 

On Articulation, Enunciation and Pronunciation also 

A LIST 

Carelessly or Ignorantly Mispronounced. 



PRICE, $1.00. 



W. H. HARRISON, Jr., Publisher, 

257 STATE ST., CHICAOO. 



IN PREPARATION. 



By PROF. E. B. WARMAN, A. M., 

Teacher of Oratory and Physical Training, Presbyterian Theo- 
logical Seminary, Chicago. 



Critical Analysis of Poe's Raven. 

Handsomely illustrated and handsomely bound. 



GESTURES AND ATTITUDES, 

Based on Delsartean principles, original drawings, with an appen- 
dix of the author's interesting lecture on "The Delsartean 
Trinities." 



THE HUMAN VOICE. 

How to TRAIN it and how to CARE for it. A full treatise on 

breathing and management of the breath, and full 

instructions in the controlling of the voice, 

and developing thereof. 



CHOICE READINGS, 

RECITATIONS, 

AND IMPERSONATIONS. 

Including some of Prof. Warman's choice selections used by him 

in his public readings, but not yet having appeared in 

book form, arranged under special heads. 



LECTURE ON 

BIBLE READING, 

HYMN READING, 

PULPIT ELOQUENCE. 

LECTURE ON 

Physical Training] or, The Care of Our Bodies, 



W. H. HARRISON, Jr., Publisher, 
257 State Street, CHICAGO. 



' ■■"■""■': 'mmti 



